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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mine — for digging
  5. rule — government
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wound — an injury
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. lie — to recline
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rule — a law
  18. wound — an injury
  19. craft — boats
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. dip — to sink
  22. snap — to click
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — in a tire

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