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: squash · perch · dip · chest · pitch · lie · fall · ruler

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — completely
  7. chest — of your body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fall — the season
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. fall — to drop
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. chest — of your body
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. dip — to sink
  18. perch — the fish
  19. squash — to crush
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fall — to drop
  23. squash — the sport
  24. chest — a box

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