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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. object — an aim
  6. craft — boats
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. object — a thing
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. capital — a city
  13. craft — a skill
  14. kid — child
  15. capital — money
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mine — for digging
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. wound — an injury
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. object — to protest
  23. present — the time now
  24. kid — to tease

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