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: pit · bowl · lean · sharp · craft · saw · tube · cabinet

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. saw — the tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. lean — thin
  8. tube — a container
  9. sharp — clever
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. craft — a skill
  15. tube — the underground
  16. pit — a hole
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. lean — to bend
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pit — in a race

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