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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. wound — an injury
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. roll — a cake
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. current — electric
  8. rock — a stone
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. current — happening now
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. wound — an injury
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. firm — steady
  19. current — of water
  20. roll — a list
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. jam — in traffic

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