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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · chair · rock · board · tear · plane

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. craft — a skill
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. chair — a leader
  11. tear — from crying
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. tear — to rip
  14. craft — boats
  15. plane — a tool
  16. tear — from crying
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. board — a committee

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