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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pit — a hole
  6. band — a music group
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. band — a ring
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. cap — of ice
  17. current — happening now
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. rush — hurry

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