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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. tube — the underground
  3. net — in sport
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. net — for catching
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cap — a hat
  12. net — after costs
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. tube — a container
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. plane — a tool
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. pass — to spend time

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