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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. game — wild animals
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. roll — a cake
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. firm — decided
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. current — electric
  10. roll — a list
  11. lie — to recline
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. current — of water
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. current — happening now
  21. game — a match
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. firm — steady

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