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 124 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. dip — to sink
  5. deal — to handle
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stem — to come from
  8. current — of water
  9. current — happening now
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. fine — high quality
  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