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: mine · rule · mouse · perch · roll · rash · stand · stick

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. roll — a cake
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. perch — the fish
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rule — a law
  10. mine — for digging
  11. roll — a list
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. rule — government
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rash — a series

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