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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. tube — a container
  3. face — to confront
  4. swing — music
  5. face — to point toward
  6. row — to paddle
  7. rock — music
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. rule — government
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. row — a line
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. tube — the underground
  18. craft — boats
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rock — a stone
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rule — a law

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