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: fine · staff · wind · bear · chair · cap · craft · current

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. wind — moving air
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wind — moving air
  6. staff — a stick
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bear — the animal
  9. current — happening now
  10. cap — a lid
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. bear — the animal
  14. staff — employees
  15. cap — of ice
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. current — electric
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. staff — employees
  22. current — of water
  23. fine — high quality
  24. chair — a leader

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