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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. net — in sport
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. firm — a company
  5. scale — size or range
  6. firm — decided
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. net — after costs
  12. foot — a measure
  13. craft — boats
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. firm — steady
  16. tear — from crying
  17. branch — a division
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. craft — a skill
  23. net — for catching
  24. saw — the tool

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