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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. current — electric
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. spring — of water
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pop — music
  13. spring — the season
  14. land — to come down
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — of water
  17. land — ground
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mark — a trace
  24. land — a country

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