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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. current — electric
  6. rule — government
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. spell — magic
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. kid — to tease
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. kid — child
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. plane — a tool
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pitch — completely
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. rule — a law
  24. jam — a tight spot

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