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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ball — a great time
  3. current — happening now
  4. can — a tin
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bound — certain
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bound — obliged
  10. present — the time now
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bound — tied together
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. present — a gift
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. can — a tin
  20. sharp — clever
  21. present — there
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. sharp — exactly

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