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 116 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: scale · present · craft · stock · spell · nail · pop · fork

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pop — soda
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pop — to visit
  8. present — there
  9. scale — in music
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. spell — letters
  12. craft — a skill
  13. scale — size or range
  14. fork — in a road
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. spell — a short time
  17. pop — music
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. craft — boats
  23. present — a gift
  24. spell — magic

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