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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. drill — the tool
  3. swing — music
  4. craft — boats
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. spell — a short time
  7. board — a committee
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. swing — in golf
  10. spell — letters
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. board — to get on
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. drill — a practice
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. drill — army training
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. craft — a skill
  19. perch — the fish
  20. spell — magic
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. swing — to play on

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