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: face · current · mouse · last · cabinet · craft · stick · file

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. last — finally
  3. current — of water
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. current — happening now
  10. craft — boats
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. face — to confront
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. file — a line of people
  15. face — to point toward
  16. craft — a skill
  17. last — to go on
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. last — final
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a document
  22. face — part of the head
  23. current — electric
  24. mouse — the animal

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