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 124 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. present — there
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. present — the time now
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. present — a gift
  11. bass — the fish
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. dip — to sink
  15. stem — to come from
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. patient — a sick person

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