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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. spring — a coil
  3. current — happening now
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. spring — the season
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. current — of water
  11. track — a song
  12. spring — of water
  13. fall — to drop
  14. current — electric
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. track — a path
  20. track — to keep track
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. sharp — clever
  24. fall — the season

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