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 · leaves · season · stand · bay · bore · wound · date

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. season — in sport
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stand — to bear
  11. wound — an injury
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. season — of the year
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bore — to tire
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. wound — an injury

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