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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bulb — for light
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. sharp — clever
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. object — to protest
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. object — a thing
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. object — an aim
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. craft — boats
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. deal — to handle

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