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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  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. current — of water
  2. tear — from crying
  3. mate — to breed
  4. tear — to rip
  5. fall — to drop
  6. current — happening now
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a hole
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. current — electric
  17. pop — music
  18. fall — the season
  19. perch — the fish
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pop — soda
  22. mate — a partner
  23. tear — from crying
  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