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 120 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: bound · craft · ground · mug · sharp · court · object · cabinet

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. object — to protest
  3. craft — a skill
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bound — tied together
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. court — of a king
  8. craft — boats
  9. ground — crushed
  10. court — of law
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — a position
  13. mug — a face
  14. bound — certain
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — to rob
  17. object — an aim
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bound — obliged
  20. court — for sport
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. object — a thing
  23. sharp — clever
  24. cabinet — ministers

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