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: hand · suit · straw · saw · craft · perch · bay · roll

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. suit — to fit
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — in cards
  10. roll — a cake
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. saw — the tool
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. suit — in cards
  19. saw — the tool
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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