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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wind — moving air
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. wind — moving air
  5. craft — boats
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — to tease
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pitch — completely
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. craft — a skill
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. pitch — a sports field

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