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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. firm — decided
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. kid — child
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a path
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. spell — a short time
  12. craft — boats
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kid — to tease
  15. firm — a company
  16. spell — letters
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. spell — magic
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. firm — steady
  22. track — a song
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fork — in a road

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