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: arm · pound · craft · wind · nail · pit · ball · bay

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wind — moving air
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. pit — a hole
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pound — a weight
  10. ball — a dance
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. craft — a skill
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. craft — boats
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. ball — a great time
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pit — in a race
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pound — to hit hard

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