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: fan · content · trunk · toast · pit · fork · wound · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. content — the amount
  4. craft — boats
  5. wound — an injury
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. content — happy
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pit — a hole
  12. wound — an injury
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pit — in a race
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fork — in a road
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. content — videos and posts

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