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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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 — boats
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bear — the animal
  9. row — to paddle
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bound — certain
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. game — a match
  20. row — a line
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bear — the animal
  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