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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. spell — magic
  3. current — of water
  4. kid — child
  5. present — there
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. present — the time now
  9. chest — a box
  10. tube — a container
  11. chest — of your body
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mark — a grade
  14. present — a gift
  15. spell — letters
  16. current — happening now
  17. spell — a short time
  18. kid — to tease
  19. tube — the underground
  20. chest — of your body
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. current — electric
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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