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 120 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: lean · suit · stick · craft · can · branch · lie · scale

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lie — to recline
  4. scale — size or range
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. lean — thin
  8. can — a tin
  9. suit — to fit
  10. scale — in music
  11. can — to be able to
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. branch — a division
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. suit — in cards
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. can — a tin
  23. craft — boats
  24. lie — an untruth

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