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: wound · vault · charge · perch · land · net · lean · bear

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. perch — the fish
  3. charge — in control
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. net — for catching
  6. wound — an injury
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lean — to bend
  12. vault — a safe
  13. net — in sport
  14. land — ground
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bear — the animal
  17. land — to come down
  18. land — a country
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. net — after costs
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. charge — a price

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