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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. board — a committee
  3. bat — the animal
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. ground — crushed
  7. current — happening now
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. deal — to handle
  11. board — to get on
  12. rock — a stone
  13. ground — the earth
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. ground — a position
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. current — electric
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. rock — music
  24. board — a flat piece

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