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 120 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: calf · deal · safe · stock · land · craft · stand · hand

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. craft — boats
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. land — ground
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — shares
  8. craft — a skill
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. hand — in cards
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. land — a country
  17. stand — to bear
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. hand — help

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