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: foot · jam · wind · patient · perch · bass · bound · snap

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wind — moving air
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. bound — tied together
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bound — obliged
  11. snap — to click
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bound — certain
  14. perch — the fish
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bass — low music
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. patient — a sick person

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