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: present · lean · mug · bark · craft · pit · band · saw

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pit — in a race
  4. mug — a face
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. lean — thin
  9. band — a music group
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. band — a ring
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — to shout
  17. pit — a hole
  18. present — a gift
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. craft — boats

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