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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. mate — a partner
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pit — a hole
  8. craft — boats
  9. mate — to breed
  10. current — happening now
  11. mate — a friend
  12. pit — in a race
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. plane — in geometry

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