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 120 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. cue — a hint
  5. rock — music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. drill — army training
  8. cue — a signal
  9. firm — steady
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. cue — for pool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. drill — a practice
  16. cold — an illness
  17. pound — a weight
  18. drill — the tool
  19. rock — a stone
  20. cold — not warm
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pound — for dogs

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