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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. current — of water
  3. craft — boats
  4. current — happening now
  5. cue — a hint
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fine — high quality
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. staff — employees
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cue — a signal
  14. staff — employees
  15. fine — all right
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lie — to recline
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. current — electric
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. fine — a penalty

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