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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. root — the cause
  3. march — music
  4. capital — money
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pop — to visit
  12. root — of a plant
  13. capital — a city
  14. stand — to bear
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. pop — soda
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. root — of a word
  21. pop — music
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. fall — the season
  24. mine — for digging

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