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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stand — to bear
  6. row — a line
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rest — a break
  12. craft — boats
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. track — to keep track
  20. rest — what's left
  21. row — to paddle
  22. track — a path
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. track — a song

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