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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. land — to come down
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. file — a line of people
  9. land — a country
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. land — ground
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. file — a tool
  15. vault — a safe
  16. squash — the sport
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. file — a document
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rush — hurry
  22. craft — boats
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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