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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. roll — a cake
  3. current — happening now
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. tube — a container
  8. roll — a list
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. craft — boats
  12. tube — the underground
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. current — electric
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. current — of water
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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