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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kick — in football
  10. rock — a stone
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. rock — music
  15. face — part of the head
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. craft — boats
  18. staff — employees
  19. pit — in a race
  20. face — to confront
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. face — to point toward

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