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 116 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: mouse · can · staff · craft · stand · mine · bat · shower

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. staff — employees
  8. can — a tin
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. shower — to wash
  11. can — to be able to
  12. craft — a skill
  13. can — a tin
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. mine — for digging
  16. staff — employees
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. staff — a stick
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. shower — rain
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bat — the animal

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