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: ground · object · craft · track · deal · content · rash · mouse

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. content — the amount
  3. object — a thing
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a song
  7. object — an aim
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. content — happy
  11. track — a path
  12. rash — a series
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. object — to protest
  16. craft — boats
  17. deal — to handle
  18. rash — hasty
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — crushed
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. ground — a position
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. content — videos and posts

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