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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. bank — for money
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. drill — a practice
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. drill — the tool
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. kid — child
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — obliged
  14. drill — army training
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. craft — boats
  17. bank — for money
  18. squash — the sport
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bank — of a river

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