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 120 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: stand · hide · lean · arm · perch · fork · nail · chair

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. perch — the fish
  4. stand — to bear
  5. lean — thin
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chair — a leader
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. lean — to bend
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fork — in a road
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. arm — part of the body

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