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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. field — a subject
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. perch — the fish
  12. craft — boats
  13. field — farmland
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. chip — to eat
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — the fruit
  18. craft — a skill
  19. field — for sport
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. chip — for betting
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. date — on the calendar

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