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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. squash — to crush
  3. content — happy
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — the amount
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rock — music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rock — a stone
  19. squash — the sport
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. craft — boats
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bay — a horse colour

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