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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. wake — a trail
  3. mine — for digging
  4. face — to confront
  5. current — happening now
  6. face — part of the head
  7. court — of law
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. court — of a king
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. tear — from crying
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. tear — from crying
  19. court — for sport
  20. pit — in a race
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. current — electric
  24. tear — to rip

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