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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. squash — the sport
  4. current — electric
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. present — the time now
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cue — a signal
  15. squash — to crush
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. current — of water
  20. current — happening now
  21. present — a gift
  22. lean — thin
  23. wake — a trail
  24. cue — a hint

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