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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. cue — a hint
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. file — a line of people
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. fall — the season
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mark — a trace
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a tool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. branch — a division
  20. vault — a safe
  21. cue — for pool
  22. craft — boats
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fall — to drop

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