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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. fine — all right
  7. capital — money
  8. craft — boats
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. vault — a safe
  13. scale — in music
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. capital — a city
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. craft — a skill
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wake — a trail
  21. fine — high quality
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. scale — size or range

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