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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. ground — crushed
  3. object — to protest
  4. clip — to cut
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. ground — the earth
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. clip — a video
  9. clip — for paper
  10. current — electric
  11. craft — boats
  12. object — a thing
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. current — happening now
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. current — of water
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cue — a hint
  23. ground — a position
  24. bear — the animal

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