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 124 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bear — the animal
  5. spell — magic
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pit — in a race
  9. spell — letters
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wax — to grow
  12. branch — a division
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bear — the animal

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