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: bank · current · craft · patient · court · present · shower · bowl

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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. current — electric
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. court — of a king
  4. craft — boats
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. shower — rain
  8. craft — a skill
  9. present — a gift
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. present — the time now
  16. court — for sport
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bank — for money
  19. court — of law
  20. present — there
  21. shower — to wash
  22. current — happening now
  23. bowl — a dish
  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