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 120 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: craft · bear · ruler · season · current · safe · swing · track

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. craft — a skill
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. current — of water
  6. season — of the year
  7. track — a path
  8. swing — music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bear — the animal
  13. craft — boats
  14. swing — to play on
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. track — to keep track
  17. season — in sport
  18. track — a song
  19. current — electric
  20. current — happening now
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. swing — in golf

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