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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. staff — employees
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. ball — a great time
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. ball — a dance
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. band — a ring
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. staff — a stick
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. staff — employees
  19. band — a music group
  20. cell — a phone
  21. pound — a weight
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. kick — in football
  24. leaves — of a tree

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