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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. fine — all right
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. drill — a practice
  8. fine — high quality
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bat — the animal
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. stand — to bear

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