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: present · perch · scale · lie · mouse · patient · stem · band

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. present — there
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. present — a gift
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — in music
  16. present — the time now
  17. lie — to recline
  18. scale — size or range
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. band — a ring
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. stem — to come from

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