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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. current — happening now
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. current — of water
  5. present — the time now
  6. swing — to play on
  7. kid — child
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. can — a tin
  10. swing — music
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. can — a tin
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. current — electric
  15. present — there
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. swing — in golf
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rush — hurry
  21. kid — to tease
  22. present — a gift
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. can — to be able to

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