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: craft · present · ruler · bat · bound · vault · rush · season

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bound — certain
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. vault — a safe
  14. present — the time now
  15. season — of the year
  16. bound — obliged
  17. season — in sport
  18. bound — tied together
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bat — the animal
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. craft — boats
  24. bat — for baseball

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