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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cap · ruler · tear · game · content · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. content — happy
  5. tear — to rip
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. cap — of ice
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a match
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cap — a lid
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. cap — a hat
  18. content — the amount

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