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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. kid — child
  3. foot — a measure
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. firm — decided
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. board — a committee
  10. stock — shares
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. board — to get on
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — a company
  19. kid — to tease
  20. craft — boats
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. stock — goods

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