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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wind — moving air
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wind — moving air
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bore — to tire
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bore — to drill
  13. court — for sport
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. craft — boats
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. court — of a king
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. court — of law
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — a hat

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