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: racket · craft · prune · suit · foot · date · staff · deal

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. staff — a stick
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. suit — to fit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. staff — employees
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. staff — employees
  14. suit — in cards
  15. craft — a skill
  16. deal — to handle
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. prune — to trim
  21. foot — a measure
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. suit — clothes
  24. date — 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