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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. squash — the sport
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. tear — to rip
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. wind — moving air
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. craft — boats
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. tear — from crying
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. craft — a skill
  17. pitch — completely
  18. tear — from crying
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — a trace
  22. squash — to crush
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wind — moving air

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