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: game · lash · pitch · bay · perch · cabinet · stand · saw

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. pitch — completely
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. saw — the tool
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. saw — the tool
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. game — a match
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stand — to bear
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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