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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. craft — boats
  3. last — to go on
  4. craft — a skill
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cue — a hint
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cue — for pool
  11. last — final
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. squash — the sport
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. last — finally
  21. cue — a signal
  22. squash — to crush
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — government

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