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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. root — of a word
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. row — a line
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wax — to grow
  12. root — of a plant
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. row — to paddle
  21. root — the cause
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. craft — boats

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