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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. current — happening now
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mine — for digging
  7. current — electric
  8. current — of water
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mug — to rob
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. rule — government
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. perch — the fish
  19. rule — a law
  20. object — to protest
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a hole

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