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 120 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: craft · leaves · season · game · current · bore · rush · bat

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bat — the animal
  4. game — a match
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. game — wild animals
  14. season — in sport
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. craft — boats
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bore — to tire
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bore — to drill
  23. current — happening now
  24. game — a kind of play

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