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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. suit — to fit
  4. spell — letters
  5. craft — boats
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — for digging
  9. craft — a skill
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. spell — magic
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pop — soda

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