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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. rock — a stone
  3. current — of water
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rock — music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bat — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. current — electric
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. cell — in biology
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. cell — a phone
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. pound — a weight
  24. current — happening now

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