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

Word bank: net · hide · rush · craft · game · clip · season · lie

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. season — in sport
  3. clip — for paper
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. net — after costs
  6. game — a match
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. clip — to cut
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. craft — a skill
  11. season — of the year
  12. lie — to recline
  13. net — for catching
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. net — in sport
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. clip — a video
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. craft — boats
  23. rush — hurry
  24. game — wild animals

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