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 116 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: capital · band · sharp · leaves · craft · fan · straw · rush

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. band — a ring
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. craft — a skill
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. craft — boats
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. rush — hurry
  18. capital — money
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. sharp — clever
  23. band — a music group
  24. capital — a city

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