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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · wound · stem · craft · current · rash · face · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. current — of water
  3. face — to point toward
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rash — hasty
  7. current — happening now
  8. wound — an injury
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. rash — a series
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pop — music
  14. rush — hurry
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. face — part of the head
  17. stem — to come from
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. current — electric
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — to visit
  23. craft — boats
  24. face — to confront

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