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: arm · can · sharp · scale · drill · craft · temple · track

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. scale — in music
  3. craft — a skill
  4. drill — the tool
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. drill — a practice
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. can — to be able to
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. can — a tin
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. can — a tin
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. track — a path
  19. track — to keep track
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. drill — army training
  22. track — a song
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. craft — boats

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