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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. last — final
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. rule — government
  7. craft — a skill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. club — for golf
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. last — finally
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. club — a group
  17. plane — a tool
  18. last — to go on
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. club — for dancing
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rule — a law
  24. object — an aim

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