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: rush · bowl · racket · pitcher · craft · spring · drill · content

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. drill — army training
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rush — hurry
  9. content — happy
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. spring — a coil
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. drill — the tool
  16. content — the amount
  17. craft — a skill
  18. spring — the season
  19. drill — a practice
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. spring — of water
  23. craft — boats
  24. pitcher — a jug

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