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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. spring — a coil
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. current — electric
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. tube — the underground
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. suit — clothes
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. current — happening now
  11. tube — a container
  12. spring — the season
  13. capital — a city
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. spring — of water
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. suit — to fit
  18. capital — money
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. current — of water

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