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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. ground — crushed
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. current — of water
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wound — an injury
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. ground — the earth
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. ground — a position
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bat — the animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bat — in an idiom

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