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: cabinet · craft · race · mug · cap · saw · pitcher · mark

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cap — a lid
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cap — a hat
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. race — humankind
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cap — of ice
  12. mug — to rob
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. race — the arms race
  15. mug — a face
  16. race — a contest
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. craft — boats
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. craft — a skill

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