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: root · coach · file · key · kid · lash · perch · wind

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wind — moving air
  4. file — a tool
  5. kid — child
  6. root — the cause
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. key — the most important part
  10. root — of a plant
  11. key — in music
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. perch — the fish
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. root — of a word
  17. file — a line of people
  18. wind — moving air
  19. kid — to tease
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. file — a document
  23. key — for a lock
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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