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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. rule — a law
  3. current — of water
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. squash — to crush
  6. chair — a leader
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. current — electric
  11. bass — the fish
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. ball — a great time
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — low music
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. squash — the sport
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rule — government
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rule — to rule out

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