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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. craft — boats
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. net — for catching
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. stand — to bear
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. craft — a skill
  20. net — in sport
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mine — for digging

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