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 120 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. cue — for pool
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. drill — a practice
  9. kick — in football
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. content — the amount
  13. current — happening now
  14. content — happy
  15. cue — a hint
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. current — electric
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — army training
  21. current — of water
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. chair — a leader
  24. cue — a signal

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