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: firm · suit · craft · rock · staff · chest · tear · fan

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. chest — of your body
  3. firm — decided
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. tear — from crying
  9. chest — of your body
  10. tear — from crying
  11. craft — boats
  12. chest — a box
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. staff — employees
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. suit — clothes
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. tear — to rip
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — steady
  23. staff — employees
  24. craft — a skill

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