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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. current — happening now
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. track — a song
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. current — electric
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. track — a path
  14. current — of water
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. 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