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: nail · fan · prune · wax · lean · firm · craft · sharp

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. prune — to trim
  5. craft — boats
  6. firm — decided
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. craft — a skill
  13. lean — to bend
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. wax — to grow
  17. firm — a company
  18. sharp — clever
  19. lean — thin
  20. firm — steady
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. wax — for sculpting

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