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

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bound — obliged
  4. present — there
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. present — the time now
  7. chip — for betting
  8. craft — boats
  9. perch — the fish
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. lean — thin
  14. tube — a container
  15. present — a gift
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bound — tied together
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bound — certain
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. craft — a skill
  22. lean — to bend
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. lean — to rest against

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