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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — all right
  3. craft — boats
  4. shower — rain
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. cue — a hint
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lean — thin
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bound — obliged
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. cue — a signal
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bound — certain
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bound — tied together
  19. snap — to click
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rest — a break
  22. shower — to wash
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. cue — for pool

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