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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. toast — bread
  3. current — happening now
  4. mate — to breed
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. track — a song
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mark — a grade
  11. date — the fruit
  12. mate — a partner
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. current — electric
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. sharp — clever
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mark — to pay attention

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