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: lean · land · mouse · perch · lash · arm · degree · suit

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. suit — to fit
  3. degree — temperature
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. degree — from a university
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. degree — an amount
  13. land — a country
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. lean — thin
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. suit — clothes
  22. land — ground
  23. land — to come down
  24. lean — to rest against

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