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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. firm — steady
  3. track — to keep track
  4. current — happening now
  5. net — for catching
  6. track — a path
  7. current — electric
  8. net — after costs
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. firm — a company
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. firm — decided
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. current — of water
  21. rule — government
  22. net — in sport
  23. track — a song
  24. patient — a sick person

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