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 120 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: saw · craft · trunk · board · perch · ground · leaves · foot

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. ground — the earth
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. ground — crushed
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. ground — a position
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. saw — the tool
  10. board — a committee
  11. perch — the fish
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. craft — boats
  14. board — to get on
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. craft — a skill
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — part of the body

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