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: row · fan · toast · perch · pitch · chair · foot · nail

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. foot — a measure
  11. perch — the fish
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. chair — a leader
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. toast — bread
  19. row — a line
  20. row — to paddle
  21. pitch — completely
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. chair — a professorship

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