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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. club — a group
  7. band — a ring
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. craft — a skill
  10. club — for dancing
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. content — the amount
  16. prune — to trim
  17. band — a music group
  18. hand — help
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. craft — boats
  22. suit — to fit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. content — happy

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