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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. toast — bread
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. craft — boats
  17. bark — to shout
  18. track — a path
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. staff — employees
  21. track — a song
  22. pit — a hole
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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