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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. ground — a position
  3. kid — to tease
  4. ground — the earth
  5. bank — for money
  6. kid — child
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bank — for money
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bound — certain
  16. bank — of a river
  17. ground — crushed
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bound — obliged
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. pass — to spend time

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