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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. craft — a skill
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. track — a path
  8. press — newspapers
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. press — a publisher
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. court — of law
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. track — a song
  16. press — to push
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bass — low music
  19. court — for sport
  20. bass — the fish
  21. court — of a king
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. wave — with your hand

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