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: rock · fork · bound · craft · tube · board · net · squash

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. squash — to crush
  5. tube — the underground
  6. rock — music
  7. bound — certain
  8. board — a committee
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. net — for catching
  11. bound — obliged
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. tube — a container
  14. board — to get on
  15. squash — the sport
  16. fork — in a road
  17. rock — a stone
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — after costs
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. bound — tied together
  24. fork — a garden tool

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