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 120 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: spell · perch · shower · patient · object · nail · lean · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. spell — a short time
  4. lean — thin
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lean — to bend
  7. spell — letters
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. shower — to wash
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. shower — rain
  17. object — a thing
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. spell — magic
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — an aim
  22. foot — a measure
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. foot — part of the body

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