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: file · spell · swing · calf · present · pound · craft · nail

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. swing — in golf
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. spell — letters
  6. pound — a weight
  7. swing — to play on
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. file — a document
  13. spell — magic
  14. craft — a skill
  15. present — a gift
  16. file — a line of people
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. file — a tool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. swing — music
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young 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