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 120 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 · bound · pitcher · foot · snap · rash · bank · cold

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rash — hasty
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cold — an illness
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bound — certain
  17. bank — for money
  18. rash — a series
  19. cold — not warm
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. perch — the fish
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. snap — to click
  24. cold — the Cold War

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