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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. root — of a plant
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. craft — a skill
  7. root — the cause
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. wound — an injury
  14. root — of a word
  15. hand — help
  16. bat — the animal
  17. wound — an injury
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. craft — boats
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. hand — in cards
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rush — hurry

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