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: staff · craft · roll · scale · perch · wave · can · cell

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. scale — in music
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. staff — employees
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. staff — a stick
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cell — in biology
  14. staff — employees
  15. craft — a skill
  16. perch — the fish
  17. scale — size or range
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. roll — a list
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. roll — a cake
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. scale — for weighing

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