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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. current — happening now
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. row — a line
  9. rash — a series
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. row — to paddle
  15. band — a ring
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pass — a permit
  24. current — electric

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