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: cold · perch · wave · staff · plane · safe · bowl · march

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. plane — a tool
  3. march — the month
  4. staff — a stick
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. cold — an illness
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. staff — employees
  18. perch — the fish
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. cold — not warm
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. staff — employees
  24. plane — in geometry

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