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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. hand — in cards
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. wake — a trail
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. firm — decided
  11. chip — to eat
  12. firm — steady
  13. hand — help
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. firm — a company
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. prune — to trim
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. shower — rain
  20. prune — to trim
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. shower — to wash
  23. chip — for betting
  24. prune — the fruit

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