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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. current — electric
  3. craft — boats
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. deal — to handle
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. prune — to trim
  13. craft — a skill
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. current — of water
  17. band — a music group
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. current — happening now
  21. band — a ring
  22. sharp — clever
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. prune — to trim

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