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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. chip — for betting
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pitch — completely
  6. staff — employees
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bear — the animal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bear — the animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. craft — boats
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pitch — a sports field

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