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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: field · craft · squash · perch · deal · land · rock · wave

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. field — a subject
  3. squash — the sport
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. land — a country
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. squash — to crush
  11. deal — to handle
  12. field — for sport
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. land — to come down
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rock — music
  22. craft — boats
  23. field — farmland
  24. land — ground

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