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: spring · object · can · craft · chair · ball · wave · swing

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. craft — boats
  3. spring — a coil
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. can — to be able to
  6. ball — a dance
  7. chair — a leader
  8. spring — of water
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. object — an aim
  11. ball — a great time
  12. can — a tin
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — music
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. object — to protest
  19. can — a tin
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. spring — the season
  23. swing — to play on
  24. chair — a professorship

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