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: spring · pitcher · lie · foot · lash · staff · craft · bank

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. staff — a stick
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. craft — boats
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. spring — the season
  8. staff — employees
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lie — to recline
  15. staff — employees
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. spring — of water
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. spring — a coil
  24. foot — the bottom

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