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: current · stand · bark · stem · craft · mug · row · march

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mug — a face
  3. craft — boats
  4. march — music
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. row — to paddle
  7. craft — a skill
  8. current — of water
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. row — a line
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bark — to shout
  14. current — happening now
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mug — to rob
  17. current — electric
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. mug — a cup

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