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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. toast — bread
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a music group
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — farmland
  7. craft — boats
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. suit — in cards
  13. band — a ring
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. shower — to wash
  18. craft — a skill
  19. field — for sport
  20. shower — rain
  21. suit — clothes
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. suit — to fit
  24. craft — a handicraft

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