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: wax · bark · staff · trunk · perch · rule · craft · mate

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. staff — employees
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. staff — a stick
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. craft — boats
  10. mate — to breed
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. perch — the fish
  14. mate — a partner
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bark — to shout
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rule — government
  20. wax — to grow
  21. staff — employees
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. rule — a law

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