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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bore — to drill
  6. craft — boats
  7. current — of water
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bore — to tire
  12. chair — a leader
  13. craft — a skill
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bat — the animal
  16. lean — thin
  17. current — electric
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. current — happening now
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. foot — the bottom

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