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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — in music
  5. fall — the season
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rest — what's left
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fall — to drop
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. file — a line of people
  14. rest — a break
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fall — to drop
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. file — a document
  19. scale — size or range
  20. file — a tool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. craft — boats
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. perch — the fish

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