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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. cap — a lid
  3. firm — a company
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. clip — a video
  6. craft — a skill
  7. cap — of ice
  8. can — a tin
  9. craft — boats
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. clip — to cut
  12. staff — employees
  13. cap — a hat
  14. clip — for paper
  15. staff — a stick
  16. firm — steady
  17. can — to be able to
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. staff — employees
  20. hand — help
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. can — a tin
  23. hand — in cards
  24. firm — decided

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