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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. object — a thing
  3. swing — to play on
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. season — of the year
  10. swing — in golf
  11. object — an aim
  12. craft — boats
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. swing — music
  18. season — in sport
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stem — to come from
  22. object — to protest
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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