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 116 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: pit · nail · perch · lash · craft · patient · straw · cap

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. cap — a lid
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. craft — a skill
  10. perch — the fish
  11. craft — boats
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cap — of ice
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. pit — in a race
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. cap — a hat
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pit — a hole

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