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 124 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. craft — boats
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — a skill
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. roll — a list
  11. tear — from crying
  12. club — for dancing
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. hand — help
  15. tear — to rip
  16. roll — a cake
  17. club — a group
  18. mark — a trace
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. tear — from crying
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. club — for golf

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