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: pit · leaves · object · safe · club · row · craft · fan

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pit — a hole
  6. club — a group
  7. object — to protest
  8. row — to paddle
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. row — a line
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. pit — in a race
  16. object — an aim
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. object — a thing
  24. safe — out of danger

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