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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pass — a permit
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. craft — boats
  7. bat — the animal
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — a garden tool

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