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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rock — a stone
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a match
  10. saw — the tool
  11. craft — boats
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. perch — the fish
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rule — a law
  18. rock — music
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — for betting

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