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: land · craft · toast · bore · club · squash · wave · fall

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  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. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. toast — bread
  4. craft — boats
  5. land — a country
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fall — the season
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. squash — to crush
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for dancing
  14. squash — the sport
  15. club — for golf
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bore — to drill
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. fall — to drop
  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