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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. spring — of water
  3. craft — boats
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. cold — not warm
  6. object — a thing
  7. cold — an illness
  8. pit — a hole
  9. object — an aim
  10. spring — the season
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rock — a stone
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rock — music
  19. spring — a coil
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. temple — side of the head

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