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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. can — a tin
  3. current — happening now
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. current — electric
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bore — to tire
  9. craft — boats
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pop — music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pop — soda
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. can — a tin
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. craft — a skill
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. pop — to visit

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