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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. clip — to cut
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. clip — a video
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stock — goods
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. current — happening now
  17. clip — for paper
  18. current — of water
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stock — shares

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