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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fall — to drop
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — a practice
  9. fall — the season
  10. drill — the tool
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. craft — a skill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pit — a hole
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. craft — boats
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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