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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. object — a thing
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. object — to protest
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. object — an aim
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. lie — an untruth

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