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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. track — a path
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bank — for money
  5. current — happening now
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. object — an aim
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. bank — for money
  12. track — to keep track
  13. wake — a trail
  14. file — a line of people
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. object — to protest
  18. current — of water
  19. saw — the tool
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. current — electric
  23. track — a song
  24. bank — of a river

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