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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. kid — to tease
  8. craft — boats
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pass — a permit
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — thin
  13. pop — music
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. lean — to bend
  16. kid — child
  17. pop — soda
  18. spell — a short time
  19. craft — a skill
  20. spell — letters
  21. bear — the animal
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. pop — to visit
  24. spell — magic

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