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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. field — a subject
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. perch — the fish
  8. face — to point toward
  9. field — for sport
  10. stem — to come from
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. field — farmland
  14. foot — a measure
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. face — part of the head
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. face — to confront
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. calf — of the leg

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