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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. last — to go on
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. current — of water
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. bass — low music
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. current — happening now
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bore — to tire
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. current — electric
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. last — final
  23. bore — to drill
  24. last — finally

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