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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pop — soda
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bound — obliged
  11. object — a thing
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pop — music
  16. object — to protest
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cell — a phone
  24. object — an aim

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