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 116 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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. lean — thin
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spring — the season
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mine — for digging
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. suit — clothes
  9. current — electric
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. current — happening now
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — of water
  17. lean — to bend
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wind — moving air
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. current — of water
  23. wind — moving air
  24. lean — to rest against

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