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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. spell — letters
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. spell — a short time
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lean — to bend
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. lean — thin
  13. vault — a safe
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. craft — a skill
  16. spell — magic
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pass — a permit
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. lean — to rest against

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