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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. firm — decided
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bear — the animal
  5. drill — army training
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. firm — steady
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bound — obliged
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bear — the animal
  14. drill — the tool
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bound — certain
  18. drill — a practice
  19. spell — letters
  20. bound — tied together
  21. craft — a skill
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. spell — magic
  24. firm — a company

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