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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. drill — army training
  8. pop — music
  9. perch — the fish
  10. key — the most important part
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. drill — the tool
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. craft — a skill
  15. game — wild animals
  16. key — for a lock
  17. craft — boats
  18. drill — a practice
  19. pop — to visit
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. game — a match
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. branch — a division
  24. key — in music

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