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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. tear — from crying
  3. suit — to fit
  4. tear — to rip
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. craft — boats
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. wind — moving air
  12. craft — a skill
  13. fine — high quality
  14. snap — to click
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. game — wild animals
  18. date — the fruit
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. tear — from crying
  21. game — a match
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. wind — moving air
  24. fine — all right

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