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: toast · prune · court · kid · press · craft · firm · face

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. craft — a skill
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. prune — to trim
  5. face — to point toward
  6. firm — steady
  7. kid — to tease
  8. craft — boats
  9. court — for sport
  10. face — part of the head
  11. prune — to trim
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — a publisher
  14. court — of a king
  15. firm — a company
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. court — of law
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. face — to confront
  20. toast — bread
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. kid — child
  23. press — to push
  24. prune — the fruit

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