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: degree · root · kick · perch · firm · rush · board · stand

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. firm — decided
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. root — of a word
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. degree — temperature
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. board — a committee
  14. root — the cause
  15. firm — steady
  16. degree — from a university
  17. board — to get on
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. kick — in football
  22. root — of a plant
  23. firm — a company
  24. degree — an amount

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