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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bore — to drill
  3. branch — a division
  4. bulb — for light
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cold — an illness
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. dip — to sink
  13. current — of water
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. current — electric
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. fine — all right
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. cold — not warm
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. current — happening now
  24. bulb — of a plant

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