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: fork · stem · march · mark · staff · craft · perch · straw

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. march — the month
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. staff — a stick
  10. perch — the fish
  11. staff — employees
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. march — the month
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. march — music
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. staff — employees
  20. stem — to come from
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — to eat with
  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