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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pitch — completely
  5. saw — the tool
  6. sharp — clever
  7. band — a music group
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wind — moving air
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. craft — a skill
  12. rule — a law
  13. craft — boats
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rule — government
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wind — moving air
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. band — a ring
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rest — a break

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