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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. craft — a skill
  3. object — a thing
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. deal — to handle
  10. object — an aim
  11. pop — to visit
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. pop — music
  14. craft — boats
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. object — to protest
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pop — soda
  23. wake — a trail
  24. jam — in traffic

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