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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ball — a dance
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. snap — to click
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. club — a group
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. root — of a plant
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a match
  13. club — for golf
  14. root — of a word
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. ball — a great time
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. craft — a skill
  19. fork — in a road
  20. craft — boats
  21. club — for dancing
  22. root — the cause
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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