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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. suit — in cards
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — in sport
  8. vault — a safe
  9. squash — the sport
  10. craft — boats
  11. cold — an illness
  12. squash — to crush
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cold — not warm
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — to fit
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mine — for digging
  24. cold — the Cold War

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