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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. ball — a great time
  3. firm — steady
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bore — to drill
  8. firm — a company
  9. row — to paddle
  10. rule — government
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rule — a law
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — a line
  15. craft — boats
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bore — to tire
  18. firm — decided
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. season — in sport
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. season — of the year

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