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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. staff — employees
  3. last — to go on
  4. land — to come down
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. land — ground
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fork — in a road
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. staff — a stick
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. staff — employees
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. last — final
  22. craft — boats
  23. land — a country
  24. last — finally

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