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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. swing — in golf
  4. wax — to grow
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. key — for a lock
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. swing — music
  12. perch — the fish
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. current — of water
  15. dip — to sink
  16. key — in music
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. capital — a city
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. current — happening now
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. capital — money
  23. key — the most important part
  24. swing — to play on

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