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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. rest — a break
  4. stand — to bear
  5. charge — a price
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. current — of water
  8. charge — in control
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. drill — the tool
  12. current — electric
  13. face — part of the head
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. charge — electricity
  18. drill — a practice
  19. face — to confront
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. drill — army training
  23. wake — a trail
  24. current — happening now

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