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: squash · key · bulb · face · fan · craft · stand · present

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. face — to confront
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. craft — a skill
  5. present — a gift
  6. face — part of the head
  7. present — the time now
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. face — to point toward
  13. key — in music
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bulb — for light
  18. squash — to crush
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. squash — the sport
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. present — there
  24. stand — on your feet

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