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 116 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. charge — in control
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. stem — to come from
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. craft — a skill
  10. shower — to wash
  11. charge — electricity
  12. snap — to click
  13. shower — rain
  14. chip — for betting
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. chip — to eat
  22. charge — a price
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. racket — for tennis

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