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: rest · temple · bark · straw · stand · mouse · pitcher · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. stand — to bear
  3. craft — boats
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bark — to shout
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rest — a break
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pitcher — a jug

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