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 116 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: drill · craft · pit · object · bowl · sharp · mate · last

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. object — an aim
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. pit — in a race
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. object — to protest
  12. mate — to breed
  13. pit — a hole
  14. mate — a friend
  15. object — a thing
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. mate — a partner
  19. last — final
  20. last — to go on
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. last — finally
  24. drill — a practice

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