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: row · object · file · rest · lash · craft · trunk · current

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. craft — a skill
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. rest — what's left
  6. object — an aim
  7. rest — a break
  8. file — a document
  9. craft — boats
  10. file — a tool
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. current — of water
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rest — what's left
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. current — electric
  18. file — a line of people
  19. current — happening now
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — to protest
  23. row — to paddle
  24. row — a line

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