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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. net — in sport
  3. mark — a grade
  4. craft — a skill
  5. net — after costs
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. game — a match
  8. craft — boats
  9. land — ground
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. land — a country
  12. game — wild animals
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to click
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mark — a trace
  18. land — to come down
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. net — for catching
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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