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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rest — a break
  4. swing — music
  5. squash — the sport
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bound — tied together
  8. swing — in golf
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bound — certain
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bound — obliged
  13. rest — what's left
  14. saw — the tool
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. fork — in a road
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. fork — a garden tool

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