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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. row — a line
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. net — for catching
  15. craft — boats
  16. shower — to wash
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right
  19. shower — rain
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stand — to bear
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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