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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. land — ground
  7. court — of law
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. stand — to bear
  11. land — a country
  12. court — for sport
  13. rush — hurry
  14. current — electric
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. land — to come down
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. court — of a king

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