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: rush · pitcher · wound · perch · patient · can · bulb · nail

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. can — a tin
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. rush — hurry
  6. perch — the fish
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. can — a tin
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. can — to be able to
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wound — an injury
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bulb — for light
  24. nail — for a hammer

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