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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. content — the amount
  3. current — happening now
  4. bulb — for light
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. scale — in music
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. content — happy
  15. scale — size or range
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. current — electric
  24. bulb — for light

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