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: safe · stick · coach · wind · craft · chest

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. chest — of your body
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wind — moving air
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — a box
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. craft — a skill
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. craft — boats

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