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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. rule — a law
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. craft — a skill
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. rule — government
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. craft — boats
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. net — in sport
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. net — after costs
  20. wake — a trail
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. net — for catching
  24. cabinet — ministers

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