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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. cap — of ice
  5. current — electric
  6. cap — a lid
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. file — a tool
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. craft — boats
  11. current — happening now
  12. file — a document
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. file — a line of people
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. vault — a safe
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. current — of water
  22. kick — in football
  23. cap — a hat
  24. temple — a place of worship

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