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 · stand · spring · file · calf · court · bowl · patient

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. spring — the season
  3. stand — to bear
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. court — of law
  9. file — a tool
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a line of people
  13. spring — of water
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. court — of a king
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. court — for sport
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. spring — a coil
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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