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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rash — hasty
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. content — the amount
  9. chip — to eat
  10. content — happy
  11. wind — moving air
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. current — of water
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. current — happening now
  19. wind — moving air
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. current — electric
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stand — for spectators

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