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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. content — happy
  3. pass — a permit
  4. craft — a skill
  5. shower — rain
  6. pitch — completely
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. content — the amount
  14. staff — employees
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. staff — employees
  23. shower — to wash
  24. craft — boats

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