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: firm · craft · sharp · bore · charge · hand · season · net

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. net — for catching
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. season — in sport
  5. net — after costs
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. craft — boats
  8. charge — in control
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. net — in sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. firm — a company
  13. bore — to tire
  14. season — of the year
  15. firm — decided
  16. charge — a price
  17. firm — steady
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. craft — a skill
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bore — to drill
  23. charge — electricity
  24. hand — in cards

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