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: present · plane · net · perch · hide · ruler · bass · lean

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. net — after costs
  8. bass — the fish
  9. net — in sport
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. perch — the fish
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. plane — a tool
  15. present — there
  16. present — the time now
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. present — a gift
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. net — for catching

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