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: swing · fan · face · craft · leaves · bowl · content · shower

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — to play on
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. content — the amount
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. face — to confront
  13. content — happy
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. face — to point toward
  17. craft — a skill
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. shower — rain
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. swing — in golf

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