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's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. current — of water
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. shower — rain
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. scale — in music
  12. craft — a skill
  13. current — electric
  14. craft — boats
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. current — happening now
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. pass — a permit
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — to succeed

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