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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. last — final
  5. row — a line
  6. last — to go on
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — completely
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. craft — boats
  14. bark — to shout
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. row — to paddle
  19. club — a group
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. club — for golf
  23. last — finally
  24. craft — a skill

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