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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. craft — boats
  3. club — for dancing
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — to paddle
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. suit — in cards
  8. ground — a position
  9. suit — clothes
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. row — a line
  12. spring — the season
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — a division
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. ground — crushed
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. club — for golf
  21. spring — of water
  22. ground — the earth
  23. suit — to fit
  24. club — a group

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