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: scale · last · club · bear · prune · craft · rock · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. spell — letters
  4. club — a group
  5. spell — magic
  6. club — for golf
  7. scale — size or range
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rock — music
  10. scale — in music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. last — finally
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bear — the animal
  16. last — final
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. last — to go on
  19. craft — boats
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. craft — a skill
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. club — for dancing

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