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: net · swing · jam · plane · scale · shower · perch · stand

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — after costs
  3. swing — to play on
  4. shower — rain
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. shower — to wash
  10. scale — in music
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stand — to bear
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. swing — music
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. swing — in golf
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. net — in sport
  24. plane — in geometry

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