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: perch · row · pit · leaves · racket · foot · mark · mug

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. mug — to rob
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mark — a trace
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mug — a cup
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. row — a line
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. row — to paddle
  21. mug — a face
  22. mark — a grade
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. foot — a measure

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