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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mine — for digging
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. dip — to sink
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. craft — a skill
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. lean — thin
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. tube — a container
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. coach — a trainer

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