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: craft · cell · bear · fork · fine · cabinet

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cell — in biology
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. craft — boats
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. bear — the animal
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fine — a penalty

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