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: current · spring · craft · safe · bat · scale · mark · ground

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. current — electric
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. current — happening now
  7. scale — in music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. spring — a coil
  12. craft — boats
  13. mark — a grade
  14. spring — the season
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bat — the animal
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. mark — a trace
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. ground — crushed
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. spring — of water

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