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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. can — a tin
  9. fall — to drop
  10. can — a tin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — a series
  13. kid — to tease
  14. current — of water
  15. bulb — for light
  16. current — happening now
  17. kid — child
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fall — the season
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bore — to tire
  23. current — electric
  24. bulb — for light

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