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 120 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. craft — a skill
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bank — for money
  6. race — humankind
  7. craft — boats
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. present — there
  11. degree — temperature
  12. firm — steady
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bank — for money
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bank — of a river
  17. degree — from a university
  18. degree — an amount
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. present — the time now
  22. race — a contest
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. present — a gift

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