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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ground — crushed
  3. root — the cause
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. root — of a word
  6. stand — to bear
  7. root — of a plant
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. field — for sport
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ground — the earth
  15. wax — to grow
  16. field — a subject
  17. ground — a position
  18. perch — the fish
  19. field — farmland
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. craft — boats
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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