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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. chip — to eat
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. firm — decided
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. craft — a skill
  9. race — a contest
  10. craft — boats
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — humankind
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. degree — from a university
  16. firm — steady
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. degree — temperature
  19. present — there
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. degree — an amount
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. cabinet — ministers

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