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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — happy
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rest — what's left
  8. spell — magic
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rock — music
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. craft — a skill
  16. spell — letters
  17. rest — a break
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pit — in a race
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. rest — what's left
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. spell — a short time

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