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: can · band · spell · pitcher · saw · board · craft · face

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. face — part of the head
  3. spell — magic
  4. face — to confront
  5. craft — boats
  6. saw — the tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. spell — letters
  13. face — to point toward
  14. spell — a short time
  15. board — to get on
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. band — a ring
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. saw — the tool
  21. board — a committee
  22. band — a music group
  23. craft — a skill
  24. band — a rubber band

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