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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. chest — a box
  4. current — happening now
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. can — a tin
  7. current — electric
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. track — a song
  11. last — finally
  12. can — a tin
  13. chest — of your body
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. last — final
  16. chest — of your body
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. last — to go on
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bay — a horse colour

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