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: bark · date · stock · craft · current · key · saw · shower

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. saw — the tool
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bark — to shout
  5. stock — shares
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. current — of water
  9. key — the most important part
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — to wash
  12. current — happening now
  13. stock — goods
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. date — the fruit
  16. current — electric
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. key — in music
  24. date — on the calendar

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