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: lie · mark · wax · safe · lash · craft · board · march

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. board — to get on
  3. craft — a skill
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. craft — boats
  7. mark — a trace
  8. lie — to recline
  9. wax — to grow
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. board — a committee
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. mark — a grade
  24. lie — an untruth

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