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: bowl · sharp · craft · pit · can · pitch · lash · wind

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. can — a tin
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pit — a hole
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. craft — boats
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. can — a tin
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. sharp — clever
  22. pit — in a race
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. pitch — completely

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