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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. cap — of ice
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. current — happening now
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. cap — a lid
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. craft — boats
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. straw — dry grass

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