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: ground · rock · rash · bound · perch · temple · patient · tube

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. perch — the fish
  3. ground — the earth
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bound — tied together
  10. tube — a container
  11. ground — a position
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rock — music
  14. rash — hasty
  15. tube — the underground
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bound — obliged
  24. rash — a series

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