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 116 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. swing — to play on
  3. face — to confront
  4. race — humankind
  5. craft — boats
  6. race — the arms race
  7. face — to point toward
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. face — part of the head
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. swing — music
  18. craft — a skill
  19. swing — in golf
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. race — a contest

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