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: can · craft · current · calf · tear · jam · ground · file

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. ground — a position
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. craft — a skill
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. file — a tool
  8. current — of water
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. current — happening now
  11. tear — from crying
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. tear — to rip
  14. current — electric
  15. file — a document
  16. tear — from crying
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. can — a tin
  21. file — a line of people
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. craft — boats

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