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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. row — to paddle
  3. current — happening now
  4. rock — music
  5. ground — the earth
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ground — a position
  10. row — a line
  11. rock — a stone
  12. roll — a list
  13. current — electric
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. current — of water
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. roll — a cake
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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