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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. net — in sport
  3. craft — boats
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bore — to drill
  7. net — after costs
  8. bore — to tire
  9. spell — letters
  10. craft — a skill
  11. current — electric
  12. can — to be able to
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. current — happening now
  15. spell — a short time
  16. net — for catching
  17. can — a tin
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. can — a tin
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. spell — magic
  24. prune — to trim

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