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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bark — to shout
  10. rash — hasty
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. vault — a safe
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rash — a series
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. craft — a skill
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. ball — a dance
  21. season — of the year
  22. ball — a great time
  23. chip — to eat
  24. season — in sport

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