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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fall — to drop
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. fall — the season
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cell — a phone
  7. can — a tin
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. branch — a division
  11. bulb — for light
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. craft — boats
  14. fall — to drop
  15. craft — a skill
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. cell — in biology
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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