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 120 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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. craft — a skill
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. capital — a city
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. scale — in music
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fall — to drop
  16. craft — boats
  17. fall — the season
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. fall — to drop
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. scale — size or range
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. capital — money

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