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: foot · face · roll · lean · stick · perch · cap · bound

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bound — obliged
  5. roll — a cake
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bound — tied together
  12. roll — a list
  13. lean — to bend
  14. face — to confront
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — a hat
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. cap — of ice
  20. face — part of the head
  21. lean — thin
  22. bound — certain
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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