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 116 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — a permit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lean — thin
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. stand — to bear
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bat — the animal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. pass — to spend time

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