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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bound — certain
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. ball — a great time
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. craft — boats
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. sharp — clever
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bound — tied together
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bound — obliged
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. craft — a skill
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bear — the animal

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