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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. craft — boats
  5. net — after costs
  6. bat — the animal
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. board — to get on
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. net — for catching
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. prune — to trim
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. net — in sport
  19. vault — a safe
  20. rock — a stone
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. prune — to trim
  23. board — a committee
  24. rock — music

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