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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. cell — in biology
  5. prune — to trim
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. perch — the fish
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. craft — boats
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cell — a phone
  20. vault — a safe
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fork — in a road
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. perch — for a bird

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