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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. current — electric
  5. file — a document
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. shower — rain
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. shower — to wash
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. current — of water
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. file — a tool
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rush — hurry
  21. chair — a leader
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. prune — to trim

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