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: spell · craft · net · firm · hide · stand · branch · cue

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a skill
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. branch — a division
  7. net — for catching
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. firm — a company
  11. net — after costs
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. spell — magic
  15. stand — to bear
  16. spell — a short time
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. firm — steady
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. spell — letters
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cue — for pool
  23. net — in sport
  24. hide — to keep secret

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