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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pop — music
  4. object — an aim
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pop — to visit
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. object — to protest
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. capital — money
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. object — a thing
  21. capital — a city
  22. pop — soda
  23. bore — to tire
  24. craft — boats

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