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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mate — to breed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. mate — a partner
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. file — a tool
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. mate — a friend
  10. file — a line of people
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. mark — a grade
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. mark — a trace
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. craft — boats
  24. file — a document

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