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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. cold — not warm
  4. cap — a lid
  5. roll — a cake
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. roll — a list
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cold — an illness
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cap — a hat
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. current — happening now
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. lie — an untruth

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