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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. stock — shares
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wind — moving air
  8. current — electric
  9. bore — to tire
  10. branch — a division
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bore — to drill
  19. current — happening now
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stock — goods
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mouse — the animal

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