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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wax — to grow
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. craft — boats
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. chair — a leader
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bark — to shout
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. game — a match
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stick — to attach or keep 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