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: craft · jam · fork · cold · track · tube · pit · board

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. track — a path
  5. board — to get on
  6. tube — the underground
  7. board — a committee
  8. pit — a hole
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. craft — boats
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fork — in a road
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cold — not warm
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. craft — a skill
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. tube — a container
  21. cold — an illness
  22. track — a song
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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