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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. current — of water
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. club — a group
  5. suit — in cards
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — in cards
  8. current — happening now
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — to fit
  13. lie — to recline
  14. current — electric
  15. suit — clothes
  16. club — for golf
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. swing — music
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. swing — in golf
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. swing — to play on
  24. mouse — for a computer

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