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: club · craft · mine · plane · object · date · rock · season

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. craft — boats
  3. club — a group
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. object — a thing
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — a tool
  8. season — of the year
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. season — in sport
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. club — for golf
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mine — for digging
  15. object — an aim
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. club — for dancing
  18. date — the fruit
  19. craft — a skill
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. rock — music
  23. object — to protest
  24. rock — a stone

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