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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. land — to come down
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. land — a country
  8. wake — a trail
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fork — in a road
  13. cue — a hint
  14. craft — boats
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cue — for pool
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. land — ground
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pitcher — a jug

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