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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. lie — to recline
  5. land — to come down
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. vault — a safe
  8. craft — a skill
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. march — the month
  11. band — a ring
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. march — the month
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. perch — the fish
  17. band — a music group
  18. wind — moving air
  19. land — ground
  20. march — music
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wind — moving air
  24. land — a country

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