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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. key — for a lock
  6. mark — a trace
  7. hand — in cards
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. key — the most important part
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. rash — a series
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. key — in music
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rash — hasty
  20. hand — help
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. season — in sport
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rash — on the skin

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