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 120 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — a series
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — boats
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wind — moving air
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — a friend
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mate — to breed
  16. press — newspapers
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. chip — to eat
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wind — moving air
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. press — to push
  23. chip — for betting
  24. press — a publisher

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