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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. rock — a stone
  3. current — of water
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tube — the underground
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. tear — to rip
  8. fine — high quality
  9. current — happening now
  10. rock — music
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. tear — from crying
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. current — electric
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — a container
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. fine — all right

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