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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. current — of water
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. club — a group
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a ring
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — for dancing
  22. band — a music group
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cold — not warm

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