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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. field — for sport
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. field — farmland
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. craft — boats
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. saw — the tool
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. capital — money
  20. field — a subject
  21. capital — a city
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. wind — moving air
  24. saw — the tool

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