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: kick · deal · mine · dip · craft · kid · stand · plane

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. craft — boats
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mine — for digging
  9. craft — a skill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — in football
  12. kid — to tease
  13. deal — to handle
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. plane — a tool
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. kick — a thrill

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