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: perch · wave · mouse · fork · bear · craft · pitcher · patient

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. fork — in a road
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bear — the animal
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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