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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. suit — in cards
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hand — in cards
  7. stock — goods
  8. hand — help
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. mark — a grade
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stock — shares
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. suit — clothes
  15. craft — a skill
  16. clip — for paper
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. craft — boats
  19. clip — a video
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. clip — to cut
  23. mark — a trace
  24. stock — a soup base

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