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: perch · plane · bank · foot · mug · tear · hide · calf

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. tear — to rip
  8. mug — to rob
  9. tear — from crying
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bank — for money
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bank — of a river
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. tear — from crying
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mug — a cup
  21. plane — a tool
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bank — for money
  24. perch — for a bird

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