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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. current — electric
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. ground — the earth
  5. current — of water
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. perch — the fish
  9. ground — a position
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. rule — a law
  13. court — for sport
  14. current — happening now
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bound — certain
  17. ground — crushed
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. court — of a king
  21. bound — obliged
  22. court — of law
  23. bound — tied together
  24. rule — government

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