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: lie · net · wave · stick · present · branch · craft · toast

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. lie — to recline
  3. craft — a skill
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. net — in sport
  11. toast — bread
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. net — for catching
  16. present — there
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — a gift
  23. net — after costs
  24. wave — of the sea

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