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: roll · craft · file · racket · date · hand · perch · trunk

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. file — a document
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. file — a line of people
  12. file — a tool
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. date — the fruit
  15. hand — in cards
  16. roll — a cake
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. craft — boats
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hand — help
  22. craft — a skill
  23. roll — a list
  24. craft — a handicraft

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