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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. ground — a position
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. content — the amount
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bound — certain
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. content — happy
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bound — obliged
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. craft — boats
  23. stem — to come from
  24. ground — crushed

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