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: last · saw · perch · drill · bark · lash · rest · fan

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bark — to shout
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rest — what's left
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rest — what's left
  17. last — finally
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. perch — the fish
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. rest — a break

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