ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. charge — in control
  4. bound — tied together
  5. charge — a price
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. present — a gift
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bound — certain
  14. stand — to bear
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. present — there
  20. charge — electricity
  21. shower — rain
  22. present — the time now
  23. bound — obliged
  24. shower — to wash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com