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: bank · dip · current · craft · firm · board · straw · stem

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. board — a committee
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. current — of water
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. current — happening now
  9. bank — for money
  10. current — electric
  11. board — to get on
  12. craft — a skill
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bank — for money
  15. firm — a company
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to sink
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. firm — decided
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. stem — to come from
  23. firm — steady
  24. bank — of a river

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