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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. current — of water
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fall — to drop
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. tube — a container
  13. current — electric
  14. fall — the season
  15. pound — a weight
  16. tube — the underground
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. current — happening now
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. fall — to drop

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