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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. rule — a law
  7. capital — money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. net — after costs
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. net — for catching
  14. charge — a price
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. rule — government
  17. net — in sport
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. bank — for money
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bank — for money
  23. capital — a city
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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