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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. current — happening now
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bound — certain
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. current — of water
  11. tube — the underground
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rule — a law
  16. tube — a container
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bound — obliged
  21. rule — government
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bound — tied together

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