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 · perch · arm · row · mug · foot · pitcher · wax

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. mug — a cup
  4. row — a line
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. last — to go on
  8. last — finally
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. foot — a measure
  21. last — final
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mug — a face

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