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: object · kick · swing · ball · trunk · fall · bore · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. object — to protest
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. fall — the season
  5. object — an aim
  6. ball — a great time
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. swing — music
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. swing — in golf
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. fall — to drop
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. object — a thing
  16. ball — a dance
  17. fall — to drop
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bore — to tire
  20. kick — in football
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bore — to drill
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. perch — the fish

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