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 124 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. can — a tin
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. cold — not warm
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pop — to visit
  8. face — part of the head
  9. last — finally
  10. cold — an illness
  11. craft — boats
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. last — final
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. face — to confront
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pop — soda
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. face — to point toward
  24. pop — music

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