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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pop — music
  3. current — happening now
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. current — of water
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. pop — soda
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. lean — to bend
  15. current — electric
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pop — to visit
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. lean — thin
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bore — to drill
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. plane — a tool

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