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: dip · club · craft · stick · scale · band · coach · perch

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. dip — to sink
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. club — a group
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. scale — in music
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. scale — size or range
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. club — for dancing
  13. band — a music group
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. club — for golf
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. band — a ring

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