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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — to protest
  6. row — to paddle
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. row — a line
  18. deal — to handle
  19. chest — of your body
  20. object — a thing
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. deal — a big deal

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