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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cap — a lid
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — magic
  10. ball — a dance
  11. cap — of ice
  12. branch — a division
  13. cap — a hat
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. ball — a great time
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. band — a ring
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. current — electric
  20. spell — a short time
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. current — of water
  23. band — a music group
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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