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: jam · field · row · date · nail · stick · wax · craft

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. field — for sport
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. craft — boats
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. date — the fruit
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. craft — a skill
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. wax — to grow
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. field — a subject
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. field — farmland
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. row — a line

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