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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bank — for money
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. key — for a lock
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bank — for money
  9. bear — the animal
  10. shower — rain
  11. bark — to shout
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. key — in music
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. kick — in football
  17. shower — to wash
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. bank — of a river
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. key — the most important part

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