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: row · mate · perch · bound · temple · march · rush · plane

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bound — obliged
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bound — tied together
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. march — music
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mate — to breed
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mate — a partner
  16. row — a line
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bound — certain
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. march — the month
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. march — the month
  24. mate — a friend

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