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 116 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: net · wake · vault · craft · bore · stem · deal · face

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. stem — to come from
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. net — after costs
  7. deal — to handle
  8. face — to confront
  9. bore — to tire
  10. net — for catching
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. net — in sport
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. vault — a safe
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bore — to drill
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. wake — a trail
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. face — part of the head
  24. craft — a handicraft

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