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: pass · spring · craft · nail · content · field · row · rush

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. spring — of water
  3. content — happy
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a line
  7. field — a subject
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. spring — the season
  10. content — the amount
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. field — farmland
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. craft — boats
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. field — for sport
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. pass — a permit
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rush — to hurry

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