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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. field — farmland
  4. mate — a partner
  5. field — for sport
  6. band — a music group
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. band — a ring
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. key — in music
  12. mate — to breed
  13. craft — a skill
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. field — a subject
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mate — a friend
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. craft — boats
  23. key — the most important part
  24. perch — the fish

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