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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. firm — decided
  3. can — to be able to
  4. prune — to trim
  5. firm — steady
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. craft — boats
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. craft — a skill
  11. scale — size or range
  12. current — electric
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. firm — a company
  15. scale — in music
  16. can — a tin
  17. hand — help
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. hand — in cards
  21. can — a tin
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. prune — the fruit

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