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: perch · safe · foot · fork · object · bass · cue · hand

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. object — to protest
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. cue — a signal
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — help
  11. fork — in a road
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cue — a hint
  14. object — a thing
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. perch — the fish
  18. foot — a measure
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. object — an aim
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. cue — for pool
  24. hand — 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