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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. shower — to wash
  3. rash — hasty
  4. lean — thin
  5. kick — in football
  6. current — happening now
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. current — electric
  11. content — happy
  12. current — of water
  13. content — the amount
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. lean — to bend
  22. shower — rain
  23. rash — a series
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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