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: hide · perch · leaves · face · spring · bulb · last · wave

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. face — to point toward
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. spring — the season
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. last — final
  11. last — finally
  12. bulb — for light
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bulb — for light
  16. spring — a coil
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. last — to go on
  20. perch — the fish
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. spring — of water
  23. face — to confront
  24. perch — for a bird

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