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: lean · spell · craft · plane · jam · rest · bark · stem

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. lean — to bend
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rest — what's left
  6. spell — magic
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — letters
  16. bark — to shout
  17. lean — thin
  18. stem — to come from
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. plane — a tool

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