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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. present — there
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. shower — rain
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. shower — to wash
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. craft — boats

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