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 116 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. land — a country
  4. current — happening now
  5. kid — child
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rash — hasty
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rash — a series
  12. cue — a hint
  13. current — of water
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. land — ground
  16. kid — to tease
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. cue — a signal
  21. land — to come down
  22. current — electric
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. ruler — for measuring

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