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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. object — to protest
  6. wind — moving air
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. current — electric
  10. drill — a practice
  11. roll — a cake
  12. wind — moving air
  13. rule — government
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. object — a thing
  17. rule — a law
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. current — happening now
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. current — of water
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. object — an aim

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