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: saw · staff · perch · degree · sharp · track · bear · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. track — to keep track
  4. saw — the tool
  5. track — a song
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bear — the animal
  10. staff — employees
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. degree — an amount
  13. staff — a stick
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. degree — from a university
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. saw — the tool
  19. sharp — clever
  20. perch — the fish
  21. scale — size or range
  22. staff — employees
  23. degree — temperature
  24. track — a path

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