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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. current — happening now
  9. mug — to rob
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. current — of water
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wind — moving air
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. current — electric
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. rush — hurry

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