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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. can — a tin
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. dip — to sink
  6. scale — in music
  7. bank — of a river
  8. can — to be able to
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bank — for money
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bank — for money
  14. chest — a box
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. row — a line
  17. sharp — clever
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. can — a tin
  21. chest — of your body
  22. scale — size or range
  23. craft — a skill
  24. row — to paddle

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