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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. stand — to bear
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hand — in cards
  5. present — there
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mug — to rob
  8. present — the time now
  9. mug — a cup
  10. present — a gift
  11. mug — a face
  12. current — of water
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cap — of ice
  19. current — electric
  20. cap — a lid
  21. current — happening now
  22. tube — a container
  23. cap — a hat
  24. hand — help

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