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: wake · pass · pitcher · arm · craft · sharp · nail · mouse

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. craft — boats
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. craft — a handicraft

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