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: kick · arm · bank · pound · tube · toast · track · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pound — a weight
  7. track — a song
  8. tube — a container
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bank — for money
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. toast — bread
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. kick — in football
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. tube — the underground
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bank — for money

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