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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. march — music
  4. mine — for digging
  5. current — happening now
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. current — of water
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. current — electric
  10. march — the month
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bulb — for light
  17. march — the month
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bulb — of a plant

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