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

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a skill
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pit — in a race
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. mate — a partner
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pit — a hole
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mate — to breed
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. shower — to wash
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. shower — rain
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mate — a friend

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