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: stick · cell · craft · lean · pound · cap · current · pass

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. craft — boats
  6. current — happening now
  7. cap — a hat
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cap — a lid
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. current — electric
  13. cell — in biology
  14. pound — a weight
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. craft — a skill
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. current — of water
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cap — of ice
  24. craft — a handicraft

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