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 · mine · track · board · wind · bear

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. 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. track — a path
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. wind — moving air
  8. track — a song
  9. board — a committee
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bear — the animal
  12. track — to keep track
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. craft — boats
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. craft — a skill
  18. 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