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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. hand — in cards
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. hand — help
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. craft — boats
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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