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 · stand · land · pass · plane · craft · bass · bulb

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. land — to come down
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. current — happening now
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. land — a country
  11. bass — low music
  12. craft — a skill
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bulb — for light
  20. current — electric
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bulb — for light
  23. land — ground
  24. current — 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