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: kick · mate · mouse · craft · drill · stem · firm · cold

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. cold — not warm
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. drill — the tool
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. drill — army training
  9. craft — boats
  10. drill — a practice
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. firm — a company
  13. kick — in football
  14. firm — steady
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. stem — to come from
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. cold — an illness
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — to breed
  23. firm — decided
  24. mate — a friend

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