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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. current — of water
  5. cell — in biology
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. present — a gift
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. present — there
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. current — happening now
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. present — the time now
  16. kick — in football
  17. row — a line
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. row — to paddle
  20. current — electric
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. kick — a thrill

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