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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. craft — a skill
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. chip — to eat
  5. firm — a company
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bank — for money
  11. prune — to trim
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. firm — steady
  14. bank — for money
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. craft — boats
  20. bank — of a river
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. firm — decided
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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