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: kick · patient · leaves · perch · squash · court · season · safe

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. perch — the fish
  6. court — for sport
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. squash — to crush
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. court — of a king
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. court — of law
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. season — of the year
  19. kick — in football
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. season — in sport
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. leaves — of a tree

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