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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. current — happening now
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. fork — in a road
  5. drill — the tool
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. current — electric
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. press — to push
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — a friend
  15. drill — a practice
  16. current — of water
  17. kid — child
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. kid — to tease
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. press — a publisher

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