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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. vault — a safe
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pound — a weight
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. pass — a permit
  11. craft — a skill
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. prune — to trim
  16. content — happy
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. content — the amount

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