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 116 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. rule — a law
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. row — a line
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. craft — a skill
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. lean — to bend
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. shower — rain
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. shower — to wash
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. row — to paddle
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. staff — employees
  23. rule — government
  24. lean — thin

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