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: current · mine · wave · hand · stick · craft · fan · root

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. current — happening now
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. root — the cause
  8. current — electric
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. current — of water
  23. hand — help
  24. craft — a handicraft

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