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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. current — happening now
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. lean — to bend
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. swing — to play on
  8. wound — an injury
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. fork — in a road
  12. stem — to come from
  13. craft — boats
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. craft — a skill
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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