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: hide · rock · clip · snap · craft · ball · staff · field

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. staff — employees
  5. rock — a stone
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. field — a subject
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. clip — to cut
  10. clip — for paper
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. snap — to click
  14. field — farmland
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. clip — a video
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. ball — a great time
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rock — music
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a dance
  24. field — for 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