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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. chest — a box
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. rock — a stone
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. current — electric
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. current — of water
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. chest — of your body
  12. track — a path
  13. rash — a series
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. rock — music
  16. rash — hasty
  17. track — to keep track
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chest — of your body
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. pound — a weight
  22. date — the fruit
  23. saw — the tool
  24. current — happening now

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