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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  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. can — a tin
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — to confront
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. can — a tin
  6. roll — a list
  7. current — electric
  8. roll — a cake
  9. mine — for digging
  10. current — of water
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. current — happening now
  13. prune — to trim
  14. kid — to tease
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. face — part of the head
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. can — to be able to
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. kid — child
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  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