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: chest · fine · bay · bear · craft · swing · plane · wax

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. fine — all right
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. swing — to play on
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bear — the animal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. craft — boats
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. chest — a box
  20. swing — in golf
  21. fine — high quality
  22. swing — music
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bear — the 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