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 116 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. current — electric
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wind — moving air
  7. cue — a signal
  8. court — for sport
  9. cue — for pool
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. cue — a hint
  12. current — of water
  13. row — a line
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. court — of a king
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pass — a permit
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. court — of law
  22. wind — moving air
  23. current — happening now
  24. row — to paddle

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