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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mug — to rob
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. key — the most important part
  8. file — a document
  9. mug — a face
  10. key — for a lock
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. craft — a skill
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. prune — to trim
  15. key — in music
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. prune — to trim
  18. craft — boats
  19. file — a line of people
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. file — a tool
  22. mug — a cup
  23. kick — in football
  24. perch — for a bird

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