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: date · craft · court · cell · sharp · rock · bank · perch

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. date — the fruit
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. sharp — clever
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. court — of a king
  7. craft — a skill
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. bank — of a river
  13. cell — in biology
  14. craft — boats
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bank — for money
  18. court — of law
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rock — music
  21. cell — a phone
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. court — for sport

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