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 116 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: craft · file · rash · perch · staff · board · last · bowl

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. rash — hasty
  3. perch — the fish
  4. craft — boats
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. file — a document
  7. last — final
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a committee
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. file — a tool
  15. staff — employees
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rash — a series
  18. file — a line of people
  19. last — to go on
  20. staff — employees
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. last — finally
  24. craft — a handicraft

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