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: bark · lie · plane · patient · perch · racket · saw · drill

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. saw — the tool
  8. drill — the tool
  9. lie — to recline
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. drill — a practice
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. saw — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. plane — a tool
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bark — to shout
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lie — an untruth

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