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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. land — ground
  7. plane — a tool
  8. land — to come down
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. row — a line
  12. craft — boats
  13. rash — hasty
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. foot — a measure
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bass — low music
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bass — the fish
  22. content — happy
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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