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: cold · kick · ruler · craft · rash · pit · board · toast

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. cold — an illness
  3. rash — a series
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. toast — bread
  9. kick — in football
  10. board — a committee
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. board — to get on
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. craft — boats
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. craft — a skill
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. pit — a hole
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. cold — not warm

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