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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. current — of water
  3. chest — of your body
  4. mine — for digging
  5. chest — a box
  6. firm — steady
  7. fall — the season
  8. rest — a break
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ball — a great time
  14. board — to get on
  15. chest — of your body
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. firm — a company
  18. current — happening now
  19. fall — to drop
  20. firm — decided
  21. board — a committee
  22. current — electric
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mine — an explosive

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