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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. craft — boats
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stem — to come from
  6. content — happy
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. content — the amount
  12. drill — the tool
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. drill — army training
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. drill — a practice
  24. stem — of a plant

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