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 ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. scale — in music
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wake — a trail
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pitch — completely
  13. roll — a cake
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. current — happening now
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wind — moving air
  19. scale — size or range
  20. roll — a list
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. current — electric
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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