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: bound · kid · fan · calf · cabinet · craft · sharp · kick

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. craft — boats
  5. sharp — clever
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kid — to tease
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. kick — in football
  13. kid — child
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bound — certain
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bound — obliged

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