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 120 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. court — for sport
  3. object — an aim
  4. craft — a skill
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. staff — employees
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. season — of the year
  9. firm — a company
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. court — of a king
  12. season — in sport
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. court — of law
  15. wind — moving air
  16. staff — a stick
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. staff — employees
  19. craft — boats
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wind — moving air
  24. object — to protest

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