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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. can — to be able to
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cue — a signal
  11. can — a tin
  12. tear — from crying
  13. craft — boats
  14. tear — to rip
  15. can — a tin
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. cue — a hint
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. branch — a division
  24. mouse — the animal

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