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

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. craft — boats
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rest — a break
  7. craft — a skill
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. kick — in football
  12. rest — what's left
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — a trail
  18. rest — what's left

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