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: perch · bank · hide · nail · file · stand · patient · swing

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. swing — to play on
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bank — for money
  7. file — a tool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. perch — the fish
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. swing — music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bank — of a river
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. file — a document
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. swing — in golf
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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