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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. current — happening now
  5. bound — obliged
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bound — certain
  12. charge — in control
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. charge — electricity
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. charge — a price
  20. current — of water
  21. wind — moving air
  22. prune — to trim
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bay — a horse colour

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