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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. object — a thing
  3. land — a country
  4. rash — a series
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. land — to come down
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. object — an aim
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. land — ground
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — clever
  17. craft — boats
  18. march — music
  19. object — to protest
  20. march — the month
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. march — the month
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pop — music

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