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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. current — happening now
  5. bass — the fish
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. saw — the tool
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. current — of water
  10. game — wild animals
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. prune — to trim
  19. current — electric
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. game — a match
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bass — low music
  24. patient — a sick person

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