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 120 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: plane · saw · patient · current · stick · perch · rest · board

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. current — happening now
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. current — electric
  8. saw — the tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. rest — a break
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rest — what's left
  23. current — of water
  24. saw — the tool

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