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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — an aim
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. object — a thing
  8. rock — music
  9. craft — boats
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pound — a weight
  12. race — a contest
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. rock — a stone
  16. hand — help
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. hand — in cards
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. race — humankind
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. race — the arms race
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. coach — a trainer

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