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 120 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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. cap — a lid
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cell — a phone
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cell — in biology
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. plane — a tool
  20. ball — a great time
  21. craft — boats
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mark — to pay attention

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