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 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rest — what's left
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rest — a break
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rest — what's left
  11. craft — a skill
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. row — a line
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wake — a trail
  18. row — a quarrel

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