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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. pop — to visit
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. spell — letters
  12. pop — music
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. present — there
  16. spell — magic
  17. scale — in music
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pop — soda
  21. spell — a short time
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mate — a friend
  24. scale — size or range

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