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: perch · rock · rest · file · cabinet · prune · pass · march

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. file — a tool
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rest — what's left
  8. file — a document
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. march — music
  12. file — a line of people
  13. pass — a permit
  14. perch — the fish
  15. march — the month
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rest — what's left
  22. march — the month
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rest — a break

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