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: branch · current · pit · cabinet · lash · lie · spring · craft

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. spring — of water
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. pit — a hole
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. lie — to recline
  11. current — happening now
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. branch — a division
  16. spring — a coil
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. current — of water
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pit — in a race
  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