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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. spring — the season
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. craft — boats
  8. board — to get on
  9. spring — of water
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. spring — a coil
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. branch — a division
  15. board — a committee
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bulb — for light
  21. perch — the fish
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bulb — for light
  24. temple — side of the head

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