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: wind · kick · craft · key · dip · spell · saw · mark

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. craft — a skill
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. key — the most important part
  9. saw — the tool
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. craft — boats
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — in football
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. saw — the tool
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. spell — magic
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wind — moving air
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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