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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rock — a stone
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. shower — rain
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — in music
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. prune — to trim
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wax — to grow
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. shower — to wash
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rock — music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. perch — the fish
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. craft — a skill

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