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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. craft — a skill
  5. kid — to tease
  6. press — a publisher
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ball — a dance
  10. craft — boats
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. press — newspapers
  14. board — to get on
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. press — to push
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. kid — child
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. board — a committee
  24. arm — a part of something

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