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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. dip — to sink
  3. game — a match
  4. current — happening now
  5. firm — decided
  6. shower — rain
  7. game — wild animals
  8. firm — steady
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. wax — to grow
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. shower — to wash
  15. current — of water
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. current — electric

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