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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. present — the time now
  4. march — music
  5. suit — to fit
  6. march — the month
  7. chair — a leader
  8. current — of water
  9. prune — to trim
  10. present — there
  11. suit — in cards
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. march — the month
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. present — a gift
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. current — electric
  20. suit — clothes
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. chair — to sit on

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