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 116 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. chip — for betting
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chip — to eat
  13. swing — music
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. branch — a division
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. swing — in golf
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. swing — to play on
  21. pound — a weight
  22. snap — to click
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. branch — of a tree

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