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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. degree — temperature
  3. kid — child
  4. craft — a skill
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. court — of law
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. court — of a king
  12. degree — from a university
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. kid — to tease
  15. court — for sport
  16. degree — an amount
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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