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: file · scale · leaves · season · bear · staff · craft · spell

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. scale — size or range
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — of the year
  7. staff — employees
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. craft — a skill
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. season — in sport
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. file — a line of people
  14. scale — in music
  15. bear — the animal
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — letters
  18. craft — boats
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a document
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. spell — magic
  24. scale — for weighing

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