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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  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. file — a line of people
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. net — after costs
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. saw — the tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. hand — help
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. craft — a skill
  16. file — a tool
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. net — in sport
  19. file — a document
  20. saw — the tool
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. net — for catching
  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