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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. can — a tin
  4. craft — a skill
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. club — for dancing
  8. craft — boats
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. capital — a city
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fork — in a road
  18. capital — money
  19. club — a group
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. club — for golf
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. fork — a garden tool

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