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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. craft — a skill
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bass — low music
  5. fall — to drop
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. current — happening now
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. current — electric
  13. firm — steady
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bass — the fish
  16. fall — the season
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. current — of water
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fan — a supporter

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