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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. spell — magic
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. mark — a grade
  7. spell — letters
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. prune — to trim
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. craft — boats
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. spell — a short time
  24. craft — a skill

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