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: kid · last · stand · foot · pass · club · snap · craft

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. snap — to click
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. foot — a measure
  7. last — to go on
  8. kid — to tease
  9. kid — child
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. last — final
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. club — for golf
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. craft — a skill
  17. last — finally
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. club — a group
  20. stand — to bear
  21. craft — boats
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pass — a permit
  24. club — for dancing

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