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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. net — after costs
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. current — of water
  6. mark — a grade
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. row — a line
  9. current — happening now
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. can — a tin
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. current — electric
  15. row — to paddle
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mark — a trace
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. chair — a leader
  20. shower — to wash
  21. net — for catching
  22. shower — rain
  23. can — a tin
  24. net — in sport

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