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

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. stem — to come from
  4. club — a group
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stand — to bear
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. chip — for betting
  16. sharp — clever
  17. club — for golf
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. ball — a dance
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. stem — a stem cell

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