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: perch · wound · fork · arm · bulb · craft · ground · season

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. ground — the earth
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. perch — the fish
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ground — crushed
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bulb — for light
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. craft — boats
  14. wound — an injury
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fork — in a road
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. season — of the year
  21. craft — a skill
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. season — in sport
  24. ground — a position

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