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: wax · fork · row · perch · straw · lie · toast · file

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. file — a document
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. row — to paddle
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. file — a tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. row — a line
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. wax — to grow
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fork — in a road
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. toast — bread
  19. file — a line of people
  20. lie — to recline
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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