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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. land — ground
  3. craft — a skill
  4. land — a country
  5. bore — to tire
  6. fall — to drop
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. band — a ring
  9. craft — boats
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fall — to drop
  12. charge — electricity
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fall — the season
  15. band — a music group
  16. bore — to drill
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. charge — a price
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. staff — employees
  22. land — to come down
  23. charge — in control
  24. staff — employees

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