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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. cell — a phone
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. craft — boats
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. craft — a skill
  8. scale — size or range
  9. content — the amount
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. field — for sport
  17. field — farmland
  18. fine — all right
  19. content — happy
  20. fine — high quality
  21. scale — in music
  22. cell — in biology
  23. field — a subject
  24. content — videos and posts

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