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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. game — a match
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. key — for a lock
  8. game — wild animals
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rule — government
  13. key — the most important part
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rule — a law
  16. degree — an amount
  17. degree — temperature
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. key — in music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. craft — boats
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. degree — from a university

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