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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. current — electric
  3. kid — to tease
  4. key — the most important part
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. key — for a lock
  7. mug — a face
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mug — to rob
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. mug — a cup
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. current — of water
  15. mark — a grade
  16. current — happening now
  17. shower — to wash
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. kid — child
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. key — in music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. shower — rain

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