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 shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. staff — employees
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. vault — a safe
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. staff — a stick
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. capital — money
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. staff — employees
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. fine — all right
  19. craft — boats
  20. capital — a city
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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