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 124 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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. craft — a skill
  10. spell — letters
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. spell — a short time
  15. deal — to handle
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. spell — magic
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. capital — money
  20. craft — boats
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. capital — a city

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