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: lie · patient · mouse · swing · perch · rock · last · lean

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. swing — in golf
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lean — to bend
  12. swing — to play on
  13. lean — thin
  14. last — finally
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. last — final
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. swing — music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. perch — the fish
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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