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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. row — to paddle
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. current — of water
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. row — a line
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. current — happening now
  11. squash — the sport
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stock — goods
  16. squash — to crush
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. stock — shares

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