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 120 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. content — the amount
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — happy
  8. craft — a skill
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. craft — boats
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. cell — a phone
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. kid — child
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — to bear
  23. sharp — clever
  24. kick — a thrill

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