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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. craft — a skill
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — in cards
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wind — moving air
  10. vault — a safe
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. craft — boats
  17. spring — of water
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. spring — the season
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. spring — a coil

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