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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. craft — a skill
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. craft — boats
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. branch — a division
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. saw — the tool
  11. hand — help
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. saw — the tool
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. hand — in cards
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. hand — part of the body

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