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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. current — electric
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ball — a great time
  8. dip — to sink
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. craft — a skill
  11. net — for catching
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bore — to drill
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bulb — for light
  16. current — happening now
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bore — to tire
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. current — of water
  22. craft — boats
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. net — in sport

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