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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. capital — a city
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bound — obliged
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. kid — to tease
  10. craft — boats
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bound — certain
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — money
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. kid — child
  22. bound — tied together
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. plane — an aircraft

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