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 116 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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. current — happening now
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. current — electric
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. tube — the underground
  10. dip — to sink
  11. prune — to trim
  12. tube — a container
  13. current — of water
  14. march — the month
  15. saw — the tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. march — the month
  18. plane — a tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. prune — to trim
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. tube — in a tire

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