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: tube · patient · perch · toast · firm · fork · march · lash

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. fork — in a road
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. march — music
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. firm — steady
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. tube — a container
  16. firm — decided
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. march — the month
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. firm — a company
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. march — the month
  24. patient — a sick person

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