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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. track — a song
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. face — to confront
  6. saw — the tool
  7. craft — a skill
  8. key — for a lock
  9. degree — an amount
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. face — part of the head
  13. craft — boats
  14. face — to point toward
  15. stock — goods
  16. key — in music
  17. stock — shares
  18. saw — the tool
  19. track — to keep track
  20. degree — from a university
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mark — a grade
  23. degree — temperature
  24. track — a path

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