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 · pitch · fork · bound · board · patient · bass · rock

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bass — low music
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bass — the fish
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pitch — completely
  17. rock — music
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bound — tied together
  22. perch — the fish
  23. bound — certain
  24. rock — to move gently

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