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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mate — a partner
  10. spring — of water
  11. craft — a skill
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mate — a friend
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. drill — the tool
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. craft — boats
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spring — a coil
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wound — an injury
  24. spring — the season

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