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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bound — certain
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. sharp — clever
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — army training
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. fork — in a road
  9. craft — boats
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — an aim
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bound — tied together
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. craft — a skill
  21. object — to protest
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bound — obliged
  24. drill — the tool

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