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 124 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. face — part of the head
  4. court — of law
  5. current — happening now
  6. face — to point toward
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. current — electric
  9. mark — a grade
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. court — for sport
  13. march — the month
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. mark — a trace
  17. face — to confront
  18. bore — to tire
  19. court — of a king
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bore — to drill
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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