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 120 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. craft — a skill
  6. root — of a word
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. scale — in music
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. face — to point toward
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. face — part of the head
  19. root — the cause
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. root — of a plant
  22. face — to confront
  23. dip — to sink
  24. leaves — lets stay

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