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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. craft — a skill
  3. band — a music group
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. craft — boats
  8. charge — in control
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. band — a ring
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. charge — electricity
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rash — hasty
  16. charge — a price
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pit — in a race
  22. branch — a division
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pit — a hole

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