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: staff · perch · current · pitcher · mark · land · craft · rock

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. staff — employees
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. current — of water
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rock — music
  8. land — a country
  9. staff — a stick
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. rock — a stone
  17. craft — boats
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. land — ground
  20. mark — a grade
  21. land — to come down
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. current — electric
  24. staff — employees

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