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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. suit — clothes
  4. craft — boats
  5. wound — an injury
  6. last — finally
  7. land — a country
  8. craft — a skill
  9. land — to come down
  10. club — a group
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — for dancing
  14. suit — to fit
  15. snap — to click
  16. last — final
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. wound — an injury
  21. land — ground
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. last — to go on

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