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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. craft — boats
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. can — a tin
  8. craft — a skill
  9. net — for catching
  10. can — a tin
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cue — a signal
  13. net — after costs
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cue — for pool
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. net — in sport
  19. can — to be able to
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. sharp — clever

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