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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. degree — an amount
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. scale — size or range
  8. last — to go on
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. last — finally
  12. craft — a skill
  13. degree — from a university
  14. craft — boats
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. scale — in music
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. last — final
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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