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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. firm — decided
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. craft — a skill
  5. last — finally
  6. hand — help
  7. mate — to breed
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. firm — a company
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. mate — a friend
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. pass — a permit
  14. firm — steady
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. craft — boats
  18. wind — moving air
  19. last — final
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. last — to go on
  22. wind — moving air
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. cabinet — ministers

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