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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — of water
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mate — to breed
  10. current — electric
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bound — obliged
  14. current — happening now
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bound — tied together
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in biology
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bound — certain
  23. kick — in football
  24. cell — in a prison

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