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: pitcher · staff · wind · bowl · file · game · suit · perch

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wind — moving air
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a match
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. file — a document
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. file — a line of people
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. suit — clothes
  22. file — a tool
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bowl — to roll

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