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 · stand · current · mate · roll · lie · wound · pop

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mate — a friend
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pop — soda
  5. mate — to breed
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. perch — the fish
  11. current — of water
  12. wound — an injury
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wound — an injury
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. roll — a list
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pop — to visit
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pop — music
  23. roll — a cake
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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