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: court · shower · stand · key · leaves · current · craft · scale

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. current — of water
  3. court — of law
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. court — for sport
  7. stand — to bear
  8. key — in music
  9. craft — boats
  10. court — of a king
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. current — happening now
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. key — the most important part
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. shower — rain
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. scale — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. scale — size or range
  24. current — electric

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