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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fall — the season
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mug — a face
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. toast — bread
  10. kid — to tease
  11. can — a tin
  12. fall — to drop
  13. plane — a tool
  14. craft — a skill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. rash — a series
  18. mug — to rob
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. can — a tin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mug — a cup
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. kid — child

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