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: calf · stock · date · craft · bat · drill · rock · current

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. date — the fruit
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. current — electric
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. current — of water
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. drill — a practice
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. stock — shares
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stock — goods
  18. craft — boats
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bat — the animal
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. current — happening now
  24. drill — army training

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