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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. track — to keep track
  4. board — to get on
  5. object — to protest
  6. current — electric
  7. track — a song
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. object — a thing
  10. current — of water
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. object — an aim
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a document
  16. board — a committee
  17. current — happening now
  18. wake — a trail
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. track — a path
  21. roll — a cake
  22. file — a tool
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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