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: craft · net · nail · scale · leaves · calf · prune · cell

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. craft — boats
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. prune — to trim
  6. net — after costs
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. cell — in biology
  9. net — in sport
  10. scale — size or range
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. scale — in music
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. net — for catching
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cell — a phone
  24. prune — to trim

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