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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. track — to keep track
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. track — a song
  7. club — for dancing
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. scale — in music
  11. firm — a company
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. firm — steady
  15. fine — all right
  16. club — for golf
  17. craft — boats
  18. firm — decided
  19. club — a group
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. track — a path
  24. scale — size or range

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