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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. land — ground
  4. staff — employees
  5. current — electric
  6. land — to come down
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. staff — employees
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. wax — to grow
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bark — to shout
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. current — of water
  17. staff — a stick
  18. drill — a practice
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. land — a country
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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