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 almost out of ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. current — happening now
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. field — a subject
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pop — music
  9. field — for sport
  10. scale — size or range
  11. field — farmland
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. current — electric
  14. scale — in music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. toast — bread
  19. sharp — clever
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. current — of water

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