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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. date — the fruit
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mine — for digging
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. cue — a hint
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. date — on the calendar

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