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: lash · perch · shower · sharp · lean · cabinet · bound · snap

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. lean — thin
  5. bound — tied together
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bound — certain
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. shower — rain
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. sharp — clever
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lean — to bend
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. snap — to click
  23. bound — obliged
  24. lash — an eyelash

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