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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ground — crushed
  3. game — a match
  4. press — to push
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ground — the earth
  9. content — the amount
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rash — hasty
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a city
  14. press — a publisher
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ground — a position
  17. content — happy
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rash — a series
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. game — a kind of play

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