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: squash · can · land · staff · plane · wake · file · craft

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. land — to come down
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. plane — a tool
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. land — a country
  7. craft — a skill
  8. staff — employees
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. squash — to crush
  12. wake — a trail
  13. file — a tool
  14. can — to be able to
  15. file — a document
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. craft — boats
  18. file — a line of people
  19. squash — the sport
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. staff — a stick
  22. can — a tin
  23. land — ground
  24. staff — employees

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