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: stem · fork · clip · plane · perch · bore · game · arm

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. clip — for paper
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — in a road
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bore — to drill
  17. plane — a tool
  18. clip — a video
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bore — to tire
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. clip — to cut
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. game — a kind of play

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