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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. spell — magic
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. kick — in football
  5. spell — a short time
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. can — a tin
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. club — for golf
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — of water
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. can — a tin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. club — for dancing
  18. current — electric
  19. club — a group
  20. spell — letters
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. can — to be able to
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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