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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. club — a group
  4. saw — the tool
  5. club — for dancing
  6. last — to go on
  7. lie — to recline
  8. last — final
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. craft — boats
  11. net — after costs
  12. press — a publisher
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. craft — a skill
  15. press — to push
  16. saw — the tool
  17. last — finally
  18. net — in sport
  19. cap — a lid
  20. press — newspapers
  21. cap — a hat
  22. net — for catching
  23. club — for golf
  24. cap — of ice

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