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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. file — a document
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. rest — what's left
  12. file — a tool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. face — to confront
  16. rest — what's left
  17. face — to point toward
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. craft — boats
  20. rest — a break
  21. file — a line of people
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. face — part of the head
  24. cue — for pool

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