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: chair · safe · craft · branch · fork · rash · current · bear

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. chair — a leader
  3. rash — a series
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. current — electric
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fork — in a road
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. current — happening now
  16. branch — a division
  17. bear — the animal
  18. craft — boats
  19. rash — hasty
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bear — to put up with

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