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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a list
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ground — the earth
  11. craft — boats
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ground — crushed
  15. pitch — completely
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. ground — a position
  21. roll — a cake
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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