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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. race — humankind
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fall — the season
  7. race — the arms race
  8. ground — the earth
  9. present — a gift
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wake — a trail
  12. present — there
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. ground — crushed
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ground — a position
  18. saw — the tool
  19. craft — boats
  20. present — the time now
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bulb — for light
  23. race — a contest
  24. fall — to drop

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