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 · root · bulb · calf · staff · wound · craft

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. perch — the fish
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. root — of a plant
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. craft — boats
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. craft — a skill
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a word
  20. foot — a measure
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bulb — for light

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