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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bound — obliged
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — goods
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bound — certain
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. stand — to bear
  11. craft — a skill
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bound — tied together
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. tube — a container
  16. face — part of the head
  17. craft — boats
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. branch — a division
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — music
  22. face — to confront
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. face — to point toward

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