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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. rock — music
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. track — a song
  6. current — happening now
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. dip — to sink
  15. track — a path
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. rock — a stone
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a skill
  22. track — to keep track
  23. wind — moving air
  24. current — of water

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