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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. current — electric
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. key — the most important part
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. content — the amount
  7. key — in music
  8. field — farmland
  9. branch — a division
  10. vault — a safe
  11. content — happy
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fork — in a road
  14. current — of water
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. field — a subject
  19. suit — in cards
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. current — happening now
  23. field — for sport
  24. key — for a lock

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