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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. pound — a weight
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. current — electric
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. stand — to bear
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. face — part of the head
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. current — of water
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. current — happening now
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. straw — dry grass

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