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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. hand — help
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. current — of water
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. saw — the tool
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. club — a group
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. club — for golf
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bowl — a football final

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