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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. craft — a skill
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bound — obliged
  8. hand — help
  9. bound — certain
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rule — a law
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — a series
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. craft — boats
  21. hand — in cards
  22. rule — government
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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