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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bat — the animal
  4. key — in music
  5. craft — a skill
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. current — happening now
  8. shower — to wash
  9. rest — a break
  10. craft — boats
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. key — for a lock
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — rain

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