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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. tear — to rip
  3. craft — boats
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mate — to breed
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pound — a weight
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mate — a friend
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. suit — clothes
  20. tube — a container
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. suit — in cards

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