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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · perch · can · present · face · hide · rush · row

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. face — to confront
  3. rush — hurry
  4. face — part of the head
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. can — a tin
  7. face — to point toward
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. perch — the fish
  11. present — a gift
  12. can — to be able to
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. can — a tin
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bank — for money

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