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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — a trail
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. stand — to bear
  13. board — to get on
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wound — an injury
  17. board — a committee
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. fork — in a road
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lie — to recline
  23. craft — boats
  24. lie — an untruth

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