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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. roll — a cake
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. dip — to sink
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. date — the fruit
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. roll — a list
  24. dip — a sauce

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