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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bat — the animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fall — to drop
  9. can — a tin
  10. last — finally
  11. fall — to drop
  12. last — to go on
  13. last — final
  14. season — of the year
  15. can — a tin
  16. craft — a skill
  17. fall — the season
  18. bear — the animal
  19. season — in sport
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bear — the animal
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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