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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. craft — boats
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. wound — an injury
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. face — to point toward
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mark — a grade
  17. face — to confront
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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