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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. face — to point toward
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. face — to confront
  11. rash — a series
  12. row — to paddle
  13. face — part of the head
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rash — hasty
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. wax — to grow
  20. craft — boats
  21. chip — for betting
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. row — a line
  24. rash — on the skin

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