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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. craft — boats
  3. chip — to eat
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rule — a law
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rash — a series
  10. plane — a tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. chip — for betting
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — to handle
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. craft — a skill
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rule — government

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