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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. band — a music group
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bound — tied together
  5. sharp — clever
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. craft — a skill
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. craft — boats
  12. bound — obliged
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bound — certain
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. content — the amount
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. band — a ring
  22. content — happy
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. vault — a safe

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