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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. kid — child
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kid — to tease
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. kick — in football
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chair — a leader
  14. current — of water
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fork — in a road
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. current — electric

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