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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — there
  3. wound — an injury
  4. plane — a tool
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. perch — the fish
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. vault — a safe
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. craft — boats
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wound — an injury
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. craft — a skill
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. scale — size or range
  22. present — a gift
  23. scale — in music
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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