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: last · fine · track · chest · craft · ruler · lean · fall

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. lean — to bend
  3. chest — of your body
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fall — to drop
  7. lean — thin
  8. fall — to drop
  9. track — a song
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. track — a path
  15. last — to go on
  16. chest — a box
  17. chest — of your body
  18. last — final
  19. fine — high quality
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. craft — a skill
  22. last — finally
  23. fall — the season
  24. lean — to rest against

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