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: court · craft · deal · mug · bank · rash · perch · spring

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. spring — of water
  3. rash — a series
  4. court — of a king
  5. deal — to handle
  6. spring — the season
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mug — a cup
  10. spring — a coil
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. craft — boats
  13. court — for sport
  14. bank — for money
  15. perch — the fish
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rash — hasty
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bank — for money
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. court — of law

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