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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. plane — a tool
  3. craft — boats
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stand — to bear
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. spring — a coil
  10. can — a tin
  11. fine — high quality
  12. craft — a skill
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. can — a tin
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. can — to be able to
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. shower — to wash
  20. spring — of water
  21. chair — a leader
  22. shower — rain
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. spring — the season

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