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: band · wax · mark · racket · nail · craft · plane · perch

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. craft — boats
  3. mark — a trace
  4. perch — the fish
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. band — a music group
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wax — to grow
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. plane — a tool
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. band — a ring
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. band — a rubber band

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