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: tube · arm · tear · perch · ball · face · row · wave

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. row — to paddle
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. face — to confront
  8. ball — a dance
  9. tube — a container
  10. tear — from crying
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. face — part of the head
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. tube — the underground
  20. row — a line
  21. face — to point toward
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. ball — a great time

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