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: roll · craft · wax · straw · pound · season · land · fork

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. craft — a skill
  6. season — in sport
  7. roll — a list
  8. fork — in a road
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. craft — boats
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. land — ground
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. land — a country
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. pound — a weight
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. roll — a cake
  19. wax — to grow
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. land — to come down
  22. season — of the year
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. wax — in the ear

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