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

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. spring — of water
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. current — happening now
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. drill — army training
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. craft — boats
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. current — of water
  14. mark — a grade
  15. spring — a coil
  16. roll — a cake
  17. drill — a practice
  18. current — electric
  19. spring — the season
  20. drill — the tool
  21. ball — a dance
  22. roll — a list
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wax — to grow

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