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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. current — happening now
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. content — happy
  5. land — a country
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. chest — of your body
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — ground
  11. suit — in cards
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — the amount
  14. current — of water
  15. present — the time now
  16. suit — clothes
  17. current — electric
  18. chest — of your body
  19. rush — hurry
  20. chest — a box
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — there
  24. perch — for a bird

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