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: charge · wave · rest · pass · lean · hand · perch · arm

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. hand — in cards
  10. lean — thin
  11. hand — help
  12. charge — a price
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. charge — in control
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rest — what's left
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rest — a break
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. perch — the fish
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. charge — electricity

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