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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rash — a series
  4. squash — the sport
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. charge — in control
  12. mark — a trace
  13. charge — electricity
  14. craft — boats
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. squash — to crush
  17. charge — a price
  18. rash — hasty

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