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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — the amount
  4. court — of a king
  5. charge — in control
  6. saw — the tool
  7. court — of law
  8. prune — to trim
  9. content — happy
  10. court — for sport
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. charge — a price
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bulb — for light
  20. charge — electricity
  21. saw — the tool
  22. craft — boats
  23. bulb — for light
  24. prune — the fruit

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