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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — for catching
  3. present — a gift
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. craft — a skill
  6. present — there
  7. net — in sport
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. season — of the year
  10. craft — boats
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. present — the time now
  14. rest — what's left
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rest — what's left
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. chest — of your body
  19. season — in sport
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rest — a break
  22. chest — of your body
  23. spell — magic
  24. chest — a box

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