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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. plane — a tool
  6. squash — to crush
  7. press — newspapers
  8. fine — all right
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. squash — the sport
  11. fine — high quality
  12. board — a committee
  13. root — the cause
  14. press — a publisher
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. press — to push
  17. root — of a word
  18. dip — to sink
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. board — to get on
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. root — of a plant

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