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: last · craft · drill · march · spell · deal · ruler · suit

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. drill — a practice
  3. last — to go on
  4. suit — to fit
  5. spell — letters
  6. suit — clothes
  7. march — the month
  8. suit — in cards
  9. march — music
  10. last — final
  11. deal — to handle
  12. march — the month
  13. spell — a short time
  14. last — finally
  15. drill — army training
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. spell — magic
  18. drill — the tool
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. craft — boats
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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