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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bound — tied together
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. net — after costs
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. march — the month
  10. bound — certain
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bat — the animal
  14. net — for catching
  15. staff — employees
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. march — the month
  18. bound — obliged
  19. staff — employees
  20. march — music
  21. craft — boats
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. net — in sport

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