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 116 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 · object · mark · ground · net · sharp · patient · stick

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. perch — the fish
  3. net — in sport
  4. sharp — clever
  5. ground — crushed
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. object — to protest
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — a position
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. net — after costs
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. object — an aim
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. net — for catching
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. object — a thing

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