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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. craft — boats
  3. suit — in cards
  4. drill — the tool
  5. suit — clothes
  6. staff — employees
  7. degree — from a university
  8. present — a gift
  9. staff — employees
  10. firm — steady
  11. wound — an injury
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. drill — army training
  15. degree — temperature
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. present — the time now
  18. staff — a stick
  19. present — there
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. degree — an amount
  23. craft — a skill
  24. wound — an injury

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