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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. current — happening now
  3. craft — boats
  4. drill — army training
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. spring — a coil
  7. drill — a practice
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. spell — letters
  10. spring — the season
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — in a race
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chair — a leader
  15. current — of water
  16. spring — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. craft — a skill
  19. spell — magic
  20. drill — the tool
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. fan — to cool the air

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