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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. craft — a skill
  4. current — electric
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — child
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. chair — a leader
  10. current — of water
  11. season — of the year
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. season — in sport
  15. craft — boats
  16. snap — to click
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. current — happening now
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

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