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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. press — to push
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bank — of a river
  7. field — a subject
  8. mug — a face
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bank — for money
  11. field — farmland
  12. deal — to handle
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the sport
  16. field — for sport
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bank — for money
  21. press — a publisher
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. craft — boats
  24. press — newspapers

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