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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. track — a song
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. fine — high quality
  16. track — a path
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fine — all right
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. craft — a skill
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wax — to grow
  23. kick — in football
  24. bark — to shout

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