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 120 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: racket · craft · calf · band · bay · fine · stand · content

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. stand — to bear
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. fine — high quality
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. content — the amount
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. craft — boats
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a music group
  18. content — happy
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. craft — a skill
  24. stand — on your feet

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