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: rash · content · craft · nail · rock · dip · stand · cell

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. rock — music
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. cell — a phone
  6. rock — a stone
  7. craft — boats
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rash — hasty
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. content — the amount
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cell — in biology
  16. dip — to sink
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — happy
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rash — a series
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stand — on your feet

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