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 · lie · season · wound · pass · craft · root · rule

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pass — a permit
  5. season — of the year
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rule — government
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. root — of a word
  10. rule — a law
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. craft — boats
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wound — an injury
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. root — the cause
  18. season — in sport
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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