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: toast · mouse · ball · rush · net · spell · craft · arm

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. craft — boats
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rush — hurry
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. ball — a dance
  8. spell — letters
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. toast — bread
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. net — for catching
  16. craft — a skill
  17. ball — a great time
  18. spell — magic
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. spell — a short time
  22. net — after costs
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. net — in sport

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