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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bass — the fish
  3. firm — a company
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. firm — steady
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. current — of water
  12. wind — moving air
  13. current — electric
  14. wind — moving air
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. deal — to handle
  17. object — a thing
  18. current — happening now
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. object — to protest
  22. firm — decided
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bass — low music

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