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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. craft — a skill
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. object — an aim
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. drill — a practice
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. object — a thing
  12. hand — in cards
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. object — to protest
  15. craft — boats
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. kick — in football
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hand — help
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bowl — to roll

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