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 116 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  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. game — a match
  2. rock — a stone
  3. kid — to tease
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. key — the most important part
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. kid — child
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. key — in music
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. rock — music
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. fork — in a road
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. key — for a lock
  23. game — wild animals
  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