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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. craft — boats
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. fall — the season
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. fall — to drop
  9. object — to protest
  10. mark — a grade
  11. race — humankind
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. squash — the sport
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. squash — to crush
  17. race — a contest
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. hand — in cards
  23. race — the arms race
  24. fall — to drop

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