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: stand · trunk · nail · land · craft · plane · wake · pop

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. land — ground
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. land — to come down
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stand — to bear
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pop — soda
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pop — music
  18. land — a country
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pop — to visit
  21. craft — boats
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. plane — a tool
  24. craft — a skill

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