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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. hand — help
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. content — the amount
  14. craft — boats
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. hand — in cards
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. content — happy
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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