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 · wound · spring · toast · wax · suit · nail · fork

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wax — to grow
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. toast — bread
  9. spring — the season
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. spring — a coil
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. spring — of water
  15. suit — to fit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wound — an injury
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. craft — a skill
  22. suit — clothes
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. wound — an injury

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