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: can · arm · craft · temple · race · pit · season · cell

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cell — a phone
  5. craft — boats
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. can — a tin
  8. pit — a hole
  9. can — a tin
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. race — a contest
  16. season — in sport
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. race — the arms race
  20. cell — in biology
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pit — in a race
  23. can — to be able to
  24. season — of the year

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