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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. current — happening now
  4. firm — decided
  5. land — ground
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. shower — rain
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. current — of water
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. firm — steady
  17. wound — an injury
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. land — a country
  20. firm — a company
  21. land — to come down
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. shower — to wash
  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