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 120 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. squash — to crush
  7. ball — a dance
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. snap — to click
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — the sport
  13. craft — a skill
  14. can — to be able to
  15. ball — a great time
  16. fine — all right
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fine — high quality
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a handicraft

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