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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. fine — all right
  5. roll — a list
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. fine — high quality
  8. craft — a skill
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. ground — a position
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. ground — crushed
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. row — to paddle
  19. craft — boats
  20. row — a line
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bat — the animal

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