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 120 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: craft · race · cue · calf · press · charge · hand · root

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. race — the arms race
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — to push
  5. charge — a price
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. charge — in control
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. root — of a plant
  12. race — a contest
  13. craft — boats
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. root — of a word
  16. press — newspapers
  17. hand — help
  18. race — humankind
  19. cue — for pool
  20. hand — in cards
  21. charge — electricity
  22. cue — a hint
  23. root — the cause
  24. cue — a signal

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