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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. can — a tin
  5. saw — the tool
  6. can — a tin
  7. field — a subject
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. field — farmland
  10. craft — a skill
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. can — to be able to
  13. face — part of the head
  14. saw — the tool
  15. craft — boats
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. face — to confront
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. field — for sport
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. face — to point toward

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