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: drill · pit · cabinet · lie · rock · track · craft · degree

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. track — a path
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. drill — army training
  7. craft — boats
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. degree — an amount
  11. rock — a stone
  12. craft — a skill
  13. drill — the tool
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. degree — from a university
  18. lie — to recline
  19. track — to keep track
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. drill — a practice
  22. degree — temperature
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rock — music

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