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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. rule — a law
  5. bound — certain
  6. bore — to drill
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cell — in biology
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — in music
  11. craft — boats
  12. rule — government
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. club — for golf
  15. bound — tied together
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bore — to tire
  20. key — for a lock
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. key — in music
  24. bound — obliged

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