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 120 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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. current — of water
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. board — a committee
  6. current — electric
  7. wound — an injury
  8. saw — the tool
  9. can — to be able to
  10. land — to come down
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lie — to recline
  15. can — a tin
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. can — a tin
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. current — happening now
  22. land — a country
  23. saw — the tool
  24. board — to get on

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