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: hide · bowl · prune · sharp · pass · shower · perch · scale

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. scale — in music
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. shower — to wash
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. prune — to trim
  13. shower — rain
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. sharp — clever
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. perch — the fish
  24. scale — size or range

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