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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. stand — to bear
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. kick — in football
  7. shower — to wash
  8. shower — rain
  9. chip — to eat
  10. court — for sport
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. saw — the tool
  16. court — of law
  17. court — of a king
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. chip — for betting
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a skill

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