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: prune · rush · lie · chest · perch · chip · stock · fall

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stock — goods
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fall — the season
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. chest — a box
  10. stock — shares
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. prune — to trim
  18. chest — of your body
  19. lie — to recline
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fall — to drop
  24. chest — of your body

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