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: bass · bear · craft · land · lie · pop · current · charge

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. lie — to recline
  6. land — to come down
  7. craft — a skill
  8. charge — a price
  9. current — happening now
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. land — a country
  13. pop — music
  14. current — of water
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. craft — boats
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — soda
  19. current — electric
  20. land — ground
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — low music
  24. bear — the animal

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