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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. wake — a trail
  5. craft — boats
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. craft — a skill
  12. chest — of your body
  13. mark — a grade
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. chest — a box
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chest — of your body
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. sharp — clever
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mouse — the animal

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