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: perch · foot · stick · prune · fall · pound · hand · craft

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. craft — boats
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. hand — help
  7. perch — the fish
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pound — a weight
  12. foot — a measure
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. fall — the season
  17. craft — a skill
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fall — to drop
  21. prune — to trim
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. hand — in cards
  24. prune — to trim

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