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 · rush · lean · bark · hide · fine · squash · spring

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. spring — a coil
  6. fine — all right
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bark — to shout
  10. lean — to bend
  11. rush — hurry
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — of water
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. squash — the sport
  18. lean — thin
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fine — high quality
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rush — a thrill

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