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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. charge — a price
  3. game — a match
  4. charge — electricity
  5. scale — in music
  6. bat — the animal
  7. firm — decided
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. firm — a company
  12. craft — a skill
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. game — wild animals
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. firm — steady
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. scale — size or range
  23. charge — in control
  24. pit — in a race

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