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 116 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. club — for golf
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. spell — letters
  9. craft — a skill
  10. club — for dancing
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bark — to shout
  13. club — a group
  14. spell — a short time
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. plane — a tool
  18. spell — magic
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — moving air
  24. leaves — lets stay

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