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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. rock — a stone
  10. present — there
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. craft — boats
  13. wind — moving air
  14. snap — to click
  15. rock — music
  16. present — the time now
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. craft — a skill
  21. chair — a leader
  22. present — a gift
  23. kick — in football
  24. bowl — a dish

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