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 116 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: net · wave · prune · craft · bore · pitcher · dip · land

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bore — to tire
  4. land — a country
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. land — ground
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. dip — to sink
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — for catching
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bore — to drill
  21. prune — to trim
  22. net — after costs
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. land — to come down

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