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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — for digging
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. fine — all right
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bear — the animal
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill
  19. row — to paddle
  20. fork — in a road
  21. key — for a lock
  22. row — a line
  23. key — in music
  24. fork — to eat with

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