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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. cell — in biology
  7. kid — child
  8. club — for golf
  9. craft — a skill
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. firm — a company
  13. club — a group
  14. craft — boats
  15. club — for dancing
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. kid — to tease
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. firm — decided
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. cell — a phone
  22. firm — steady
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bank — of a river

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