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 120 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: perch · fine · stick · plane · trunk · sharp · pound · club

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. club — for dancing
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pound — a weight
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. fine — all right
  14. plane — a tool
  15. perch — the fish
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. fine — high quality
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for golf
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. perch — for a bird

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