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 120 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. current — electric
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. wind — moving air
  6. land — ground
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — a practice
  10. wind — moving air
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bark — to shout
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. land — a country
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. land — to come down
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. fan — a supporter

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