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 116 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: scale · perch · club · tear · bore · lean · rash · lash

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. perch — the fish
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bore — to drill
  10. lean — thin
  11. tear — to rip
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for golf
  14. bore — to tire
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rash — hasty
  20. club — for dancing
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rash — a series
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. tear — from crying

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