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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. saw — the tool
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. pound — a weight
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. sharp — clever
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. fork — in a road
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. craft — boats
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. saw — the tool
  23. craft — a skill
  24. wave — with your hand

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