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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. current — of water
  4. spring — of water
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. spring — a coil
  10. dip — to sink
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. current — electric
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. spring — the season
  22. current — happening now
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. mouse — for a computer

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