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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. drill — a practice
  7. tube — the underground
  8. last — finally
  9. drill — the tool
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. craft — boats
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chip — to eat
  16. last — to go on
  17. mark — a grade
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. chip — for betting
  20. mark — a trace
  21. drill — army training
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — a container
  24. last — final

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