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: perch · straw · deal · can · rest · march · stem · track

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. can — a tin
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rest — what's left
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. march — music
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. rest — what's left
  11. track — a path
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. march — the month
  15. can — a tin
  16. track — a song
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. deal — to handle
  19. track — to keep track
  20. can — to be able to
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. march — the month
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. rest — a break

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