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

Word bank: calf · rush · club · board · file · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. club — a group
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. board — to get on
  5. club — for golf
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. board — a committee
  9. club — for dancing
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. craft — boats
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. file — a document
  18. calf — a young 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