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: perch · plane · trunk · scale · bat · safe · ruler · hide

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. perch — the fish
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. plane — a tool
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. scale — size or range
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. safe — a strongbox

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