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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — a list
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rash — a series
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. capital — money
  11. deal — to handle
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — boats
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cue — a signal
  16. capital — a city
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. rash — hasty
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. cue — for pool

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