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: lean · bear · perch · board · hand · game · leaves · lash

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lean — thin
  4. hand — help
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. hand — in cards
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. game — a match
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. board — to get on
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. perch — the fish
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

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