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: mate · jam · fork · object · club · hand · craft · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. craft — boats
  3. club — for golf
  4. mate — a partner
  5. object — a thing
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. object — an aim
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. object — to protest
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. hand — in cards
  16. club — a group
  17. fork — in a road
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — to breed
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. hand — help
  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