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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. ground — a position
  4. march — the month
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — for catching
  7. bore — to tire
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. net — after costs
  10. bore — to drill
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — to rob
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ground — the earth
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. stem — to come from
  23. ground — crushed
  24. mug — a face

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