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: craft · squash · stem · content · plane · fine · board · wound

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. fine — high quality
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. content — the amount
  5. plane — a tool
  6. board — to get on
  7. fine — all right
  8. craft — a skill
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. squash — to crush
  11. board — a committee
  12. craft — boats
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. content — happy
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. stem — to come from
  24. wound — an injury

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