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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. present — the time now
  3. current — happening now
  4. squash — to crush
  5. court — of law
  6. craft — a skill
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. present — a gift
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. court — for sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. fine — all right
  15. current — of water
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. date — the fruit
  18. court — of a king
  19. fine — high quality
  20. current — electric
  21. squash — the sport
  22. present — there
  23. bulb — for light
  24. date — on the calendar

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