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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. current — electric
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. board — a committee
  9. object — a thing
  10. board — to get on
  11. current — happening now
  12. hand — help
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. current — of water
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. object — an aim
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hand — in cards
  20. craft — boats
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. object — to protest
  23. coach — a trainer
  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