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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bank — for money
  4. fall — to drop
  5. current — electric
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. game — a match
  9. fall — to drop
  10. game — wild animals
  11. chip — to eat
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. chip — for betting
  18. wind — moving air
  19. face — part of the head
  20. current — happening now
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. fall — the season
  24. face — to confront

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