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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. fine — all right
  6. bat — the animal
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. current — of water
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. staff — employees
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. object — an aim
  16. staff — a stick
  17. track — a path
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. object — to protest
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. fine — high quality
  23. staff — employees
  24. object — a thing

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