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: content · plane · mark · arm · craft · roll · bank · chest

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mark — a grade
  3. content — happy
  4. bank — for money
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bank — for money
  8. craft — a skill
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. content — the amount
  17. plane — a tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. chest — a box
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. roll — a cake

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