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 · key · wave · ground · craft · perch · hand · land

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. land — ground
  3. craft — boats
  4. land — a country
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. perch — the fish
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. hand — in cards
  11. craft — a skill
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. key — the most important part
  15. land — to come down
  16. key — for a lock
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. hand — help
  22. saw — the tool
  23. key — in music
  24. ground — the earth

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