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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. capital — a city
  3. mate — to breed
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. current — happening now
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. present — the time now
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. present — a gift
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mate — a partner
  12. present — there
  13. lie — to recline
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. rock — a stone
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. lean — to bend
  18. dip — to sink
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rock — music
  21. lean — thin
  22. capital — money
  23. mate — a friend
  24. current — of water

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