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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bank — for money
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. track — a path
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pop — music
  13. rock — music
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pop — soda
  16. track — to keep track
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pop — to visit
  19. cell — in biology
  20. track — a song
  21. bank — for money
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rest — a break

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