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: object · perch · patient · stand · chair · suit · swing · wake

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wake — a trail
  5. suit — clothes
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. suit — to fit
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. swing — to play on
  12. object — an aim
  13. swing — in golf
  14. perch — the fish
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. suit — in cards
  21. object — to protest
  22. swing — music
  23. chair — a leader
  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