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 · kick · arm · cap · sharp · stock · firm · lash

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. craft — boats
  8. kick — in football
  9. cap — a hat
  10. firm — decided
  11. cap — a lid
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stock — shares
  17. cap — of ice
  18. sharp — clever
  19. firm — steady
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. stock — goods

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