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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. current — of water
  3. land — ground
  4. ball — a great time
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. current — electric
  9. land — a country
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. fine — all right
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fine — high quality
  14. land — to come down
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. game — a match
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. current — happening now
  21. ball — a dance
  22. prune — to trim
  23. game — wild animals
  24. prune — to trim

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