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: wake · cabinet · craft · hide · object · sharp · mate · present

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. object — a thing
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mate — a partner
  10. craft — a skill
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. present — a gift
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. present — the time now
  18. object — to protest
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. object — an aim
  21. sharp — clever
  22. present — there
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — a trail

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