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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. fork — in a road
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. cold — an illness
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. shower — to wash
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. squash — the sport
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. shower — rain
  23. cold — not warm
  24. fork — to eat with

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