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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. craft — a skill
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. kick — in football
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. content — the amount
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. scale — in music
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. craft — boats
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. saw — the tool
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pass — a permit
  22. content — happy
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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