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: stem · land · bound · net · craft · current · rush · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bound — certain
  5. current — electric
  6. craft — boats
  7. land — ground
  8. bound — obliged
  9. rush — hurry
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. net — in sport
  12. land — a country
  13. current — of water
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. net — after costs
  16. land — to come down
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. net — for catching
  19. current — happening now
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stem — to come from
  24. leaves — lets stay

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