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 120 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. lean — thin
  4. current — of water
  5. tube — a container
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. current — electric
  10. fall — the season
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. suit — in cards
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. kid — child
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lean — to bend
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. tube — the underground
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. current — happening now
  22. kid — to tease
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — to drop

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