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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. current — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. current — happening now
  13. wake — a trail
  14. game — a match
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. staff — employees
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals

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