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 116 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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. craft — a skill
  8. perch — the fish
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. band — a music group
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. staff — employees
  15. band — a ring
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. shower — rain
  20. staff — a stick
  21. plane — a tool
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. staff — employees

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