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: bat · stick · craft · deal · spring · snap · temple · hide

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. snap — to click
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — the season
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. deal — to handle
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bat — the animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. spring — of water
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a handicraft

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