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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a skill
  3. row — a line
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rash — hasty
  6. club — a group
  7. rash — a series
  8. rush — hurry
  9. fine — high quality
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. club — for golf
  12. cap — a hat
  13. fine — all right
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. row — to paddle
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pound — a weight
  24. fine — a penalty

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