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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bound — certain
  4. craft — boats
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bound — tied together
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. current — happening now
  15. fine — all right
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pound — a weight
  18. spell — letters
  19. current — of water
  20. spell — magic
  21. bound — obliged
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. current — electric

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