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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. current — happening now
  3. prune — to trim
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. current — of water
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. season — of the year
  8. current — electric
  9. wake — a trail
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. prune — to trim
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bat — the animal
  15. fine — all right
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. season — in sport
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bear — the animal

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