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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. staff — employees
  3. chair — a leader
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bank — for money
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bank — for money
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. staff — employees
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. track — a song
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. chair — to sit on

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