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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. ball — a great time
  3. staff — employees
  4. row — to paddle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. staff — employees
  8. prune — to trim
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. row — a line
  12. chip — for betting
  13. current — of water
  14. staff — a stick
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. current — electric
  18. prune — to trim
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. chip — to eat
  22. ball — a dance
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. prune — the fruit

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