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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — there
  4. game — a match
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rest — what's left
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. plane — a tool
  15. club — for golf
  16. rest — a break
  17. craft — boats
  18. present — the time now
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. club — a group
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rest — what's left
  24. leaves — of a tree

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