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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ground — crushed
  7. degree — from a university
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. degree — temperature
  11. sharp — clever
  12. current — happening now
  13. ground — a position
  14. staff — a stick
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ground — the earth
  17. current — electric
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. degree — an amount
  20. ball — a great time
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. craft — boats

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