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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. craft — boats
  6. roll — a list
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mine — for digging
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. fine — all right
  17. saw — the tool
  18. roll — a cake
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — to point toward
  24. fine — high quality

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