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: lean · craft · scale · rush · nail · spring · cell · band

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. spring — of water
  4. craft — boats
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cell — in biology
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. spring — a coil
  15. scale — in music
  16. lean — to bend
  17. craft — a skill
  18. cell — a phone
  19. lean — thin
  20. spring — the season
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a music group

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