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 · bank · rash · drill · fall · lean · roll · cue

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. rash — hasty
  3. drill — the tool
  4. fall — to drop
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a cake
  7. bank — of a river
  8. cue — a hint
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fall — the season
  13. bank — for money
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bank — for money
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rash — a series
  18. perch — the fish
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. lean — to bend
  21. roll — a list
  22. cue — a signal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. cue — for pool

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