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: lash · chip · patient · date · perch · bat · deal · vault

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. deal — to handle
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. chip — for betting
  19. date — the fruit
  20. vault — a safe
  21. chip — to eat
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bat — the animal

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