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: rush · club · perch · bear · mate · date · hide · staff

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. club — for golf
  3. date — the fruit
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. staff — employees
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. staff — a stick
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. perch — the fish
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bear — the animal
  19. club — a group
  20. staff — employees
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mate — a partner
  24. rush — a thrill

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