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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. current — happening now
  6. bank — for money
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bank — of a river
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bank — for money
  13. club — for dancing
  14. deal — to handle
  15. current — electric
  16. club — a group
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. current — of water
  21. craft — boats
  22. cap — of ice
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. craft — a skill

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