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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. track — a song
  3. object — an aim
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. lean — thin
  6. current — of water
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. current — happening now
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. current — electric
  16. date — the fruit
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. lean — to bend
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. track — a path
  23. object — to protest
  24. bear — the animal

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