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: pass · sharp · lean · wake · bear · craft · current · fork

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. fork — in a road
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wake — a trail
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. craft — boats
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. current — electric
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. sharp — clever
  22. craft — a skill
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bear — the animal

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