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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. track — a song
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rash — a series
  11. hand — in cards
  12. track — a path
  13. tear — to rip
  14. rash — hasty
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. mark — a grade
  19. track — to keep track
  20. tear — from crying
  21. craft — boats
  22. sharp — clever
  23. craft — a skill
  24. tear — from crying

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