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: jam · cabinet · kick · spring · craft · press · wound · stick

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  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. spring — the season
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. press — a publisher
  11. spring — a coil
  12. kick — in football
  13. craft — boats
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. spring — of water
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. wound — an injury
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. press — to push
  20. wound — an injury
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. press — newspapers
  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