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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. club — for dancing
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. object — to protest
  5. craft — boats
  6. club — a group
  7. object — a thing
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rule — government
  14. pit — a hole
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rule — a law
  17. hand — help
  18. object — an aim
  19. pit — in a race
  20. fall — to drop
  21. hand — in cards
  22. fall — the season
  23. club — for golf
  24. craft — a skill

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