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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. saw — the tool
  9. scale — size or range
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. scale — in music
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — in sport
  19. craft — boats
  20. saw — the tool
  21. craft — a skill
  22. stand — to bear
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. patient — a sick person

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