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 120 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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bark — to shout
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wound — an injury
  12. sharp — clever
  13. wound — an injury
  14. charge — electricity
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. charge — in control
  17. craft — boats
  18. press — a publisher
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. press — newspapers
  21. charge — a price
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. press — to push

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