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: band · perch · jam · plane · staff · object · bore · pitcher

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. staff — employees
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. band — a music group
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bore — to drill
  15. staff — a stick
  16. plane — a tool
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. band — a ring
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. staff — employees
  23. bore — to tire
  24. object — a thing

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