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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. current — electric
  3. fine — all right
  4. present — there
  5. mate — a partner
  6. game — wild animals
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. current — of water
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fine — high quality
  11. present — the time now
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rule — a law
  19. present — a gift
  20. game — a match
  21. rule — government
  22. mate — to breed
  23. current — happening now
  24. game — a kind of play

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