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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. ball — a great time
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stock — shares
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. drill — army training
  8. craft — boats
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. drill — the tool
  14. craft — a skill
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — thin
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. stock — goods
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. lean — to bend

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