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: bear · band · content · craft · wind · charge · ball · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wind — moving air
  3. content — happy
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bear — the animal
  6. charge — electricity
  7. band — a music group
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. band — a ring
  13. wind — moving air
  14. ball — a dance
  15. content — the amount
  16. craft — boats
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. charge — a price
  21. ball — a great time
  22. craft — a skill
  23. charge — in control
  24. ball — a round shape

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