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: stock · craft · object · ground · bound · fork · jam · chest

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. chest — a box
  5. object — a thing
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. chest — of your body
  9. ground — a position
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. craft — boats
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. stock — shares
  14. ground — the earth
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bound — certain
  17. fork — in a road
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ground — crushed
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. chest — of your body
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. stock — goods

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